Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 84 schools in district

PS 81 ROBERT J CHRISTEN

5550 RIVERDALE AVE, BRONX, NY 10471NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #10
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG05Non-Charter
672
Students
Total enrolled
14.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
7% vs nat'l
51/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
Mid-sized public school
Serves 672 students in grades KG–05 in BRONX, New York.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 51th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
14.3 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

PS 81 ROBERT J CHRISTEN is a large elementary in BRONX, New York, serving grades KG–05 with 672 students. About 44% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at PS 81 ROBERT J CHRISTEN

672
Total Students
14.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
44%
Free Lunch
47
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution351 male · 321 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility44%
National avg 52% · 296 students
Student Composition
31%
50%
Asian6%
White31%
Hispanic / Latino50%
Black7%
Multiracial6%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 360008702318

Academic Outcomes at PS 81 ROBERT J CHRISTEN

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
51
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 51th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 83th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 10471

School Resources & Funding

Funding data not availableDistrict did not report fiscal data to NCES.
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location
CountyBronx County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (718)796-8965
NCES ID: 360008702318
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in BRONX seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
5550 RIVERDALE AVE, BRONX, NY 10471
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.