At a Glance
A high-trust school in affluent, education-obsessed Prospect Heights where families feel heard but teacher leadership connections show tension
Families who prioritize a strong sense of community and family-school trust over raw academic metrics; parents comfortable with a small school environment who want close relationships with teachers; families who value the Prospect Heights neighborhood's walkability and family orientation and can accept some uncertainty around academic performance data.
- Family trust metrics are exceptional — 95% parent satisfaction, 97% parent-teacher trust, 96% parent-principal trust
- Teacher collegial trust is nearly perfect at 98% — staff genuinely like working with each other
- Located in one of Brooklyn's most education-focused neighborhoods (97th percentile for education orientation)
- Very high family survey response rate (74%) indicates strong community engagement
- Academic performance data not available — you won't see proficiency rates or state test scores
- Teacher-principal trust is notably low (63%) compared to other trust metrics — there's a leadership disconnect
- Very small teaching staff (only 14 teacher survey responses) — very small school with limited course offerings possible
- Teacher-rated instruction quality (81%) falls below district average (88%)
- No attendance or suspension data provided — limited insight into daily attendance patterns or discipline trends
- Special Education program noted but no details on specific supports
Based on 2025 data
School SummaryDistrict 13
The school lacks a quality snapshot score compared to peer schools in District 13, which include strong performers like P.S. 011 Purvis J. Behan (96/100) and The Emily Warren Roebling School (91/100). Without test score data, Design Works is difficult to benchmark against these peers — some of which are charter schools with lotteries. This is a notably different kind of option in a district with several high-performing alternatives.
Academic test score data was not provided for this school, making it difficult to fully assess student achievement relative to district benchmarks. The district averages for this area show ELA proficiency at 53% and Math at 46%, but without Design Works' specific scores, prospective families should request current performance data directly from the school.
The school's survey portrait is striking but contradictory. Families report exceptionally high trust in teachers (97%) and the principal (96%), with overall parent satisfaction at 95% — notably above the district average of 91%. Teachers report near-universal collegial trust (98%), meaning they're highly collaborative with each other. However, teacher-principal trust sits at just 63%, and teacher-rated instruction quality (81%) falls below the district average of 88%. This suggests a school where families feel well-served and teachers enjoy working with colleagues, but there's a disconnect between teachers and school leadership — a dynamic that could affect long-term stability.
The school serves grades 9-11 plus Special Education (SE), drawing from a neighborhood that skews highly educated and affluent. With median household income at $150K and only 6.4% poverty, this is not a typical Title I community. The area has strong education orientation (97 percentile), meaning families here prioritize academics. However, only 37% of residents own homes, suggesting most families are renters — which could mean more transient enrollment patterns.
Prospect Heights is a compact, walkable Brooklyn neighborhood known for its proximity to Prospect Park, strong transit options (77 percentile), and family-oriented character. The area scores very high on education orientation but lower on safety metrics (29 percentile) — parents should know crime density and collision rates are notable here. Despite the safety score, the neighborhood feels family-friendly with good access to parks and local businesses.
Prospect Heights is highly walkable with good transit access. Families can comfortably walk or take the subway — the neighborhood's small footprint means most residents are within short walking distance.
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 116 families responded (74% rate)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Design Works High School a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for Design Works High School yet on Motley. It's a public school serving grades 9 to 11 in Prospect Heights.
- What grades does Design Works High School serve?
- Design Works High School serves grades 9 to 11.
- Is Design Works High School public, charter, or private?
- Design Works High School is a public school in NYC Community School District 13.
- What neighborhood is Design Works High School in?
- Design Works High School is in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.
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