South Bronx Literacy Academy

South Bronx Literacy Academy (SBLA) is a small elementary school in Mott Haven, Bronx, currently serving grades 2-5 with plans to expand to grade 8. It is notable as New York City's first public school specifically designed for students with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities. The school implements a "Structured Literacy" approach, offering explicit, systematic, and multi-sensory instruction, including at least 90 minutes daily of small-group reading. Classes are intentionally small, capped at 18 students, and utilize an Integrated Co-Teaching model with two full-time teachers per room, fostering individualized attention. Beyond academics, SBLA integrates social-emotional learning and executive functioning skills into its daily schedule. While state test proficiency rates in ELA and Math are at the citywide minimums, this reflects the school's specialized mission to support students who have historically struggled with reading in traditional settings. Parents were instrumental in advocating for its creation, valuing its intensive, specialized instruction typically found in private schools. The school shares a building with PS 161 Juan Ponce de Leon School.