The Bronx School of Hip-Hop among five new schools to open in New York City this fall
DJing, graffiti, breakdancing and emceeing are on the syllabus for students when their first day of class arrives later this year.
The pillars of hip-hop are set to be used for a brand new high school in the Bronx for the 2026-27 school year.
The Bronx School of Hip-Hop, which will open in Claremont, will use hip-hop culture as a foundational piece for instruction, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s office. The institution will also offer coursework in audio production, digital media and financial literacy, as well as the traditional curriculum for 115 to 125 ninth through twelfth graders.
“Our students deserve the best. This fall, we’ll deliver it with five new public schools that serve students of all ages, expand access for students with disabilities and put the arts at the center of education,” Mamdani said in a statement.
The new school is one of five to open across the Bronx and Queens, starting in September, including a school for students with disabilities in kindergarten to eighth grade in the Bronx School of Arts & Education. West Q Elementary, Queens Academy for Innovative Learning and the Academy of Cultural Excellence are the other three campuses opening this year.
Establishing the new schools is what the city calls an answer to seating capacity in neighborhoods prone to overcrowding and to increasing access close to home in the district.
The school of arts and education, which will serve students in the Highbridge and South Crotona Park neighborhoods, will use an arts-centered model melding core academics with visual and performing arts, supporting communication, independence and academic growth.
“Students are disengaged when they don’t see themselves in the learning. This school is designed for this generation,” Bronx School of Hip-Hop founding principal Jason Reyes told the New York Daily News.
He added, “At the core of what we’re talking about here is hip-hop culture being used as a vehicle for learning. This is not just performing arts. It’s that and students really digging deep into literary analysis. A good example would be, I’m looking at Kendrick Lamar’s album, ‘To Pimp A Butterfly,’ and I’m comparing that to, let’s say, ‘Catcher in the Rye,’ understanding rhetorical devices.”
There’s no scheduled opening date for the School of Hip-Hop but the rollout of new schools to help District 75 is a plus, according to Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels.
“These schools are designed to meet the diverse needs of our communities, including creating seat capacity where needed, delivering innovative and culturally responsive instruction, and preparing students with the skills and confidence to succeed in college, careers, and beyond. This is how we build a stronger, more equitable future for New York City,” he said.