Brooklyn Environmental Exploration School (BEES)

Test scores have improved markedly — ELA jumped from 22.7% to 43.8% and math from 18% to 34% between 2024 and 2025 — but the school still sits below the district averages of 52.2% ELA and 50.5% math. The grade-level breakdown reveals a troubling pattern: 7th graders are performing at 57.5% ELA and 56.8% math (approaching district parity), but 8th graders have dropped to just 28.1% ELA and a startling 5.7% math. This suggests transition challenges or curriculum misalignment in the upper grades that warrant investigation. The overall score of 1.56 out of 4 places BEES below the district average of 2.06.

The survey data tells a remarkable story: families report 100% satisfaction and 100% trust in both teachers and the principal — numbers that are virtually unheard of in NYC public schools. Teachers rate instruction quality at 94% and trust in leadership at 92%, well above district averages. Attendance is deceptively strong at 92.1% (above the 88.6% district average), yet chronic absenteeism is an alarming 78.1%, meaning many students are missing significant school time despite being counted as present. Discipline is minimal with just 2 suspensions last year and a 1% suspension rate. The day-to-day feel appears positive — families feel heard, teachers feel supported — but the chronic absenteeism crisis suggests barriers to regular attendance that the school alone may not be able to solve.

With only 151 students across three grades, BEES is a small school with a predominantly Black (64%) and Hispanic (33%) student body. Nearly half of students (44%) have IEPs, and 91.2% qualify for economic need support — reflecting the Ocean Hill neighborhood's high-poverty reality. The diversity index sits at 45%, and the economic need index of 91.2% is among the highest in the district. This is a school that serves students with significant support needs in a community that has historically faced limited educational options.

Ocean Hill is a transit-rich but resource-constrained neighborhood in eastern Brooklyn. The area scores just 14.56 for safety (well below city averages) and has high environmental health concerns, including elevated asthma rates and lead exposure risks. However, it scores 83.14 for transit accessibility, making it relatively easy to reach by subway. The neighborhood has a strong family density score of 65.9, indicating many children in the area, though median household income is modest at $57,870 with a 26.6% poverty rate. Education orientation scores 52.11, suggesting moderate but not overwhelming academic focus in the community.

The neighborhood's strong transit score (83.14) indicates the school is accessible by public transportation. Families should note that the area's low safety score (14.56) warrants attention during commute times, particularly for younger students.