Brooklyn Gardens Elementary School

Brooklyn Gardens has made a stunning academic turnaround. Just three years ago in 2022, only 11.4% of students were proficient in ELA and 8.4% in math — well below district averages. By 2025, those numbers jumped to 68% ELA and 62.1% math, both significantly outpacing District 19's averages of roughly 49% and 48% respectively. The overall score of 2.6/4 puts it well above the district average of 1.9/4. Grade 3 performance is particularly strong (85.4% ELA, 80.5% math), suggesting early literacy and math interventions are working. However, scores drop notably in Grade 5 (51.3% ELA, 45% math), indicating potential challenges in sustaining momentum as students move up.

The school culture tells a powerful story of trust and safety. Parent satisfaction matches the district average at 91%, but parent-teacher trust soars to 95% and strong relationships between families and staff reach 95%. Teachers report near-universal safety (99% — well above the 92% district average), and teacher-principal trust stands at 91%. Instruction quality scores 91%, above the district average of 88%. However, there's a tension here: chronic absenteeism is strikingly high at 54.1%, affecting both males (55.9%) and females (52.3%) equally. Attendance rate sits at 88.2%, slightly below the 90% district average. Discipline is exemplary — zero suspensions for three consecutive years.

With 278 students in a school that draws primarily from its zone, the student body is 60% Black, 35% Hispanic, and 1% each Asian, White, Multi-Racial, and Native American. The diversity index sits at 50%. This mirrors the East New York-New Lots neighborhood, which is predominantly working-class with 22.6% poverty and only 16% of adults holding a BA+. The economic need index of 92.6% is extremely high — nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Yet PTA fundraising is notably low at $1 per student ($336.5 total), suggesting less discretionary income for extras, though family survey response rates are strong at 73%.

East New York-New Lots is a densely populated, transit-accessible (68.58 score) Brooklyn neighborhood with significant family presence (family density score of 63.6). The area has a safety score of just 31.42 — notably low — with elevated crime density and collision rates. However, it's a community in transition, with a median home value of $605,545 and 29.3% homeownership. Education orientation is moderate at 37.93, and the neighborhood has seen new investment in recent years. Families should know the area has a higher lead exposure rate (16.3%) and elevated childhood asthma rates (104 per 10,000).

The neighborhood is walkable with moderate transit access, though families often rely on local bus routes. The area's lower safety score may influence how younger children commute.