Bedford Park Elementary School

Opened in 2014 to relieve overcrowding in the Norwood area, PS 77 Bedford Park Elementary offers a supportive environment to children in grades pre-Kindergarten through 5, as well as an English and Spanish dual language program. 

More than a quarter of all children are English language learners. The dual language program, starting in pre-K, aims for half English and half Spanish speakers in one classroom. It is designed to teach children to be fluent in both languages. Students at Bedford Park speak a number of other languages, as well, including Albanian, Arabic and Bulgarian. In its curriculum, the school emphasizes global connections and seeks to celebrate various heritages and backgrounds.

A Department of Education reviewer praised Bedford Park’s environment, saying, “A highly supportive and extended family culture is evident throughout the school that promotes students’ personal growth and academic development.” Teachers and parents echoed these positive comments in their responses to the NYC school survey, with teachers saying the principal has a clear vision for the school and sets high standards.

Performance on state test scores show uneven results. Bedford Park students do better than average for their area on the English language arts exam but fall short of the average on the math test. 

Bedford Park has a full-time music teacher and provides additional arts instruction through partnerships with DreamYard and Studio in a School. It also offers afterschool arts programs and a family arts program for English language learners on Saturdays. [school photo from social media]

 SPECIAL EDUCATION: Bedford Park has team teaching classes with a mix of general and special education students, and self-contained classes for students with disabilities. It shares its building with Bronx School for Continuous Learners, a district 75 program for children with severe disabilities. The two schools  participate in building-wide events and a buddy program. Students with serious disabilities spend most of their day in a general education classroom while also getting the special services they need. 

ADMISSIONS: Zoned neighborhood school (Gail Robinson, from web reports, March 2020)