Eagle Academy for Young Men II

Test scores here have climbed dramatically over the past nine years — math proficiency went from 17% in 2016 to over 80% today, and ELA rose from 15% to 65%, both well above the District 23 averages of 52% and 51%. The 2024-25 scores show particular strength in sixth grade (93.8% math, 82.8% ELA), while eighth grade lags (69% math, 46.5% ELA), suggesting the school excels at building foundations but may face challenges as students move into upper grades. The overall quality score of 2.92 out of 4 places it solidly above the district average of 2.06.

The survey data is remarkable: 99% of families report satisfaction, and every trust metric — parent-teacher, parent-principal, teacher-principal, and teacher collegial — hits 100%. Teachers report 100% belief in instruction quality. Yet there's a striking contradiction with chronic absenteeism at 83.2%, which is extraordinarily high despite a strong attendance rate of 93.7%. This suggests families value the school deeply (high satisfaction, zero suspensions) but face real barriers to getting boys to school consistently. The zero suspension rate is exceptional — the district average is 1.6%, making this a school that has clearly invested in alternatives to exclusionary discipline.

This is a nearly all-Black male student body (87%) with a small Hispanic population (11%) in a neighborhood where 87% of residents are Black and 26.6% live below the poverty line. The economic need index of 76.2% means nearly all students qualify for free lunch. At 31%, the school has a high proportion of students with IEPs, suggesting strong special education services. The diversity index is low at 26%, which is typical for District 23, but this is a school deeply rooted in its community's demographic reality.

Ocean Hill is a transit-rich but safety-challenged neighborhood in Brooklyn, scoring just 14.56 on safety (very low) while scoring 83.14 on transit accessibility. The area has strong family density (65.9 percentile) but low stability (12.64) and limited homeownership (20.7%). The median home value of $880,860 suggests gentrification pressures, while the 26.6% poverty rate indicates ongoing economic hardship. For families, the tradeoffs are clear: excellent subway and bus access, but a neighborhood where safety concerns are real.

The high transit score (83.14) indicates most families arrive by bus or subway, which is common in this part of Brooklyn. The walkability of the specific block near Herkimer Street is typical for the area — families should expect their sons to commute, as the neighborhood's safety score is notably low.