NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) — Some young New Yorkers will be schooled on hip hop this year.
Five new public schools will open in New York City on the first day of school this Thursday, including the Bronx School of Hip-Hop in Claremont. The new schools were announced in May by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Chancellor Kamar Samuels.
Discover more local reporting on our homepage
On Tuesday, Mamdani announced the new school year will also bring 10 new school facilities, including a 553-seat middle school addition to Brooklyn’s John Dewey High School.
These 5 new public schools open in New York City this week:
Academy of Cultural Excellence, Queens
Bronx School of Arts & Exploration
Queens Academy for Innovative Learning
West Q Elementary, Queens
Learn more about the new schools
Bronx School of Hip-Hop
The high school on Webster Avenue will use elements of hip hop, like DJing and graffiti, to teach a Regents and AP-aligned curriculum. Sports will include dance crew, b-boy and b-girl teams and step and rhythm. The school will also have open mic nights and a podcast team.
“Every classroom operates like a studio, every unit culminates in a showcase, and every scholar produces original work — from spoken word and music to digital design, movement, and enterprise pitches,” reads New York City Public Schools’ description of the school.
Academy of Cultural Excellence
Serving Pre-K to Fifth Grade in Long Island City. The school uses the acronym ACE to represent student agency, community building and academic excellence. The curriculum focuses on things like overlooked perspectives and empathy, critical thinking, phonics-based literacy and valuing diversity.
Queens Academy for Innovative Learning
Middle and high school in Astoria will focus on technology integration, STEM and work-based learning. It will serve students with disabilities.
West Q Elementary, Queens
Students K-5 will take on a “signature project” throughout the year to apply classroom learning to the real world. It’s a smaller school in Woodside that is non-zoned, meaning families across District 24 can enroll.
Bronx School of Arts & Exploration
A K-8 school supporting students who need “extra help,” like students with autism and other developmental or learning needs. The curriculum will focus on creativity, real-world skills and advocacy.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.