At a Glance
A small, audition-based arts high school where families feel deeply trusted but teacher instruction quality lags district averages
Families seeking a small, tight-knit arts-focused high school where parent voices are strongly valued and the community feels engaged. It's well-suited for students who have demonstrated interest in music and theatre and want a specialized environment rather than a comprehensive high school. Families should be comfortable with the neighborhood's safety profile and should discuss the teacher instruction quality concerns directly with staff — the high parent satisfaction suggests many families work through this, but it's worth exploring. The competitive admissions process means students need to prepare an audition, and the demographics suggest this school serves a specific community in Crown Heights that values its artistic mission.
- Audition-based admissions creating a selective arts-focused community
- Exceptional parent trust and satisfaction rates (96-97%)
- Zero suspensions reported — notably different from district averages
- Very high family survey participation (92%) suggesting strong engagement
- Small school size (270 students) with class sizes around 22
- Competitive admissions: 522 applicants for 90 seats (16.7% offer rate)
- Extensive athletics program including unusual options like cricket, double dutch, and swimming
- Teacher-reported instruction quality (76%) is significantly below the district average (89.1%) — families should ask specifically about classroom instruction during visits
- Only 15 teachers completed the survey — small sample size may not represent all staff perspectives
- No state test scores provided makes academic comparison difficult
- Very low safety score (13.41 percentile) in the surrounding neighborhood
- Student body is 98% Black/Hispanic with no meaningful representation of other groups — families seeking more diverse environments may notice this
- No academic trend data available to assess improvement over time
Based on 2024-2025 data
School SummaryDistrict 17
Among District 17 schools, Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre occupies a unique niche as the neighborhood's only specialized arts high school. It doesn't appear on the peer school list (which is dominated by Success Academy charters and elementary schools), reflecting its distinctive admissions model. The district's top performers are Success Academy charters scoring 96-98, but those serve different populations through lotteries rather than auditions. This school's small size and arts focus make direct comparison with district peers difficult — it's less comparable to traditional high schools and more akin to a conservatory-style program.
As a specialized arts high school, Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre does not report state test scores in the same way as traditional academic schools — its admissions process prioritizes artistic talent over prior academic performance. The school offers AP Courses, and its program richness score of 77.8 out of 100 indicates a decent range of academic and enrichment offerings, though without test score data, it's difficult to benchmark raw academic rigor against district peers.
The school's climate data tells a striking story: parent trust metrics are exceptionally high, with 96% satisfaction and 97% parent-teacher trust — both meaningfully above the district average of 91%. Families feel heard and valued. However, teacher-reported instruction quality sits at 76%, notably below the district average of 89.1%, and teacher-principal trust (83%) is solid but not as robust as parent trust. With only 15 teacher survey responses, these signals should be interpreted cautiously. On discipline, the school reports zero suspensions — a stark contrast to the district average of 0.55% — suggesting either very effective behavioral practices or a different approach to conflict resolution. The 92% family survey response rate indicates strong parental engagement.
This is a predominantly Black and Hispanic student body — 72% Black and 26% Hispanic — with essentially no Asian or White enrollment. The diversity index of 38% is relatively low, reflecting this demographic concentration. With 24% IEP students and an economic need index of 83.6% (well above typical district averages), the school serves a population with significant support needs. The small enrollment of 270 students creates an intimate community where families tend to know one another.
Crown Heights (South) is a densely populated, transit-friendly neighborhood in central Brooklyn with a high family density score of 78.54. Median household income is $70,304 with a 20.3% poverty rate, and only 14.5% of residents own homes — this is predominantly a renting community. The education orientation score of 68.2 suggests family interest in schools is above average. However, the safety score of 13.41 is very low (13th percentile), meaning crime density is a notable concern in the area. Transit access is strong at 77.39, making the school accessible without a car.
The neighborhood is highly walkable with excellent transit options — families can easily reach the school via public transportation, though the low safety score means parents of younger students may prefer to accompany them.
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 188 families responded (92% rate)
Programs & Activities
Admissions Demand
Provides arts instruction to all students and integrates the arts into the core curriculum.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Economic Need & Special Populations
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre yet on Motley. It's a public school serving grades 9 to 12 in Crown Heights (South).
- What grades does Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre serve?
- Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre?
- Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre uses the Educational Option (Ed-Opt) method, ranking applicants across performance levels so seats go to a mix of abilities.
- Is Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre public, charter, or private?
- Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre is a public school in NYC Community School District 17.
- What neighborhood is Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre in?
- Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre is in Crown Heights (South), 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.