At a Glance
A Small, Diverse Fort Greene Middle School Built on Personal Connection
Families in Fort Greene or surrounding Brooklyn neighborhoods seeking a small, culturally diverse middle school environment where their child will be known as an individual. This school is a strong fit for parents who value community diversity, prefer a tight-knit school over a larger institution, and are comfortable with a progressive nonsectarian approach to middle school education.
- Extremely diverse student body (diversity index 0.9314) — rare among NYC private schools
- Tiny enrollment of just 84 students across grades 6-8
- Nonsectarian progressive philosophy without religious affiliation
- Serves middle school years (6-8) with developmental focus
- Located in family-friendly Fort Greene with high walkability
- Very small school — only 84 total students may feel too intimate for some families
- 16.8:1 student-teacher ratio is moderate, not ultra-small — expectations should be realistic
- Grades 6-8 only — families need a transition plan for high school
- As a private school, tuition applies (specific cost not disclosed)
Brooklyn Independent is a nonsectarian, coeducational private school serving 84 students in grades 6-8. With only 5 full-time teachers, this is one of the smallest private schools in Brooklyn — a deliberate small-scale approach to middle school education.
The student body at Brooklyn Independent is strikingly diverse. With a diversity index of 0.9314 — nearly off the charts — the school reflects Fort Greene's reputation as one of Brooklyn's most integrated neighborhoods. Black students make up the largest group at 38.1%, followed by White students at 28.6%, Hispanic students at 23.8%, and Asian students at 9.5%. This isn't forced diversity; it's the natural result of a school serving a genuinely mixed neighborhood.
Fort Greene is one of Brooklyn's most desirable neighborhoods for families — leafy, walkable, and with a strong sense of community. The neighborhood scores 83/100 on family density, meaning you'll likely find other families with school-age children nearby. Brooklyn Independent sits on Lafayette Avenue, placing it within easy reach of Fort Greene's restaurants, parks, and cultural institutions.
The school is located on Lafayette Avenue in central Fort Greene — a highly walkable area with good access to public transit. Families in the neighborhood can easily walk to school, and the area's tree-lined streets make it pleasant for middle schoolers who are ready for some independence in their commute.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
One promotional source describes school as where kids love middle school; MySchoolScout rating 5.5/10; high marks for diversity and inclusion (9.5/10)
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades 6 to 8 in Fort Greene.
- What grades does BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT serve?
- BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT serves grades 6 to 8.
- How do students get into BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT?
- BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT public, charter, or private?
- BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT is a private school.
- What neighborhood is BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT in?
- BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT is in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
Get the complete picture
Motley pulls together data from across New York City so you don’t have to. One free account, every school.
No credit card required
Get all this when you sign in
Survey data, program listings, admissions stats, and the full editorial profile — free, no credit card.
Full School Profile
Skip the tour guessing game. Get the standout features, honest trade-offs, and whether your kid will actually thrive here — before you visit.
Survey Results
See what 2,600+ schools’ own families and teachers really think — trust, safety, instruction quality — so you walk in with the truth, not the brochure.
Programs & Activities
Stop Googling program lists. AP courses, STEM labs, dual-language tracks, sports teams, arts — all categorized so you can compare schools in minutes.
Admissions Demand
Know your odds before you apply. Apps-per-seat ratios, offer rates, and fill data — so you don’t waste your top choice on a long shot.
Economic Need & Special Populations
Find out if the support your child needs is actually there — IEP enrollment, economic need index, and the demographics no other site surfaces.
Discipline
One bad year doesn’t tell you much. Three years of state-verified suspension data shows whether things are getting better or worse.