At a Glance
Brooklyn's most oversubscribed STEAM powerhouse — a 3,200-student screened high school whose five specialized programs draw applicants from across the borough
Best suited for
Self-directed students who thrive in large, demanding environments and want a screened specialty in robotics, environmental science, performing arts, multimedia, or science research — families who should pair an FDR application with a clear backup given the 8-to-20 percent offer rates.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of 4-year graduation, English Regents college-ready and Regents completion · DOE 2025 report
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- Five screened STEAM programs under one roof — Robotics/Programming, Environmental Studies, Performing Arts, Multimedia Design, and Science Research — a rare breadth for any NYC high school
- Dual Language Chinese pathway, one of the very few in a Brooklyn public high school
- Zero suspensions recorded in the available data, against a district average of 0.32 percent
- Program richness score of 100/100, with distinctive offerings like Bollywood Dance, Fdr Theatre Guild, Mock Trial, and Computer Service Squad
- Parent-principal trust at 95 percent, among the highest in the dataset
Things to consider
- Teacher-principal trust sits at 67 percent — a real gap with parent sentiment that families should ask about directly at a tour
- Teacher-rated instructional quality at 81 percent trails the district's 92 percent average noticeably
- PTA raises about $6 per student, compared to the district average of $61 — expect a thinner fundraising cushion and more parent-driven logistics
- At roughly 3,200 students, this is a very large school; students who prefer smaller, tighter communities may find it hard to land
- Admission is fiercely competitive — most programs post single-digit offer rates, so a strong backup plan is essential
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 20
FDR is the anchor high school in District 20, which is better known for its elementary feeder pattern. The peer schools listed in this dataset (I.S. 187 at 94/100 is the top) are all elementary, so direct comparison is limited — but FDR sits at the top of the borough's screened STEAM conversation, drawing applicants well beyond the District 20 catchment area.
Academics
Proficiency rates aren't included in this dataset, but FDR's program portfolio says plenty on its own. Five distinct STEAM screened programs run in parallel — Robotics/Programming, Environmental Studies, Performing Arts, Multimedia Design, and Science Research — alongside AP coursework, a Dual Language Chinese pathway, and ELL support for incoming multilingual students. The school earned a 100/100 program richness score, and an 18 percent IEP share suggests real inclusion work happening alongside the college-prep tracks. With applicants outnumbering seats by as much as 11-to-1, the academic bar at entry is clearly high, though day-to-day rigor inside the building is harder to gauge from the numbers provided.
Culture
Parents love this place: 92 percent satisfaction, 95 percent trust in the principal, and 94 percent trust in teachers. The story from teachers is more mixed. Teacher ratings of instructional quality sit at 81 percent — well below the district's 92 percent — and only 67 percent of teachers trust the principal, a meaningful gap with how parents feel about leadership. Teacher collegial trust is healthy at 82 percent, suggesting the staff gets along even when they have reservations about how the school is run. Zero suspensions against a district average of 0.32 percent is genuinely striking and worth asking about on a tour.
Community
The student body tilts Hispanic (39 percent) and Asian (35 percent), with smaller White (15 percent) and Black (10 percent) populations — a different mix than the surrounding neighborhood, where roughly a third of households include children and median income sits just over $71,000. The school's economic need index of 84 indicates most families are working with tight budgets, and the 18 percent IEP share points to a meaningful inclusion population. Family survey participation was strong at 755 responses, suggesting an organized parent community that shows up to be heard.
Neighborhood
FDR anchors the western edge of Mapleton-Midwood, a primarily residential pocket of Brooklyn where about one in five households lives below the poverty line and roughly a third of homes include kids. Median income sits around $71,400 and homeownership is relatively strong for the borough at 42 percent. The blocks around the school are middle-density with a mix of long-term owners and renters, and the neighborhood skews family-oriented without feeling uniformly upscale.
Three subway options within a 10-minute walk: the N train at 20 Avenue (about 6 minutes), and the F train at Bay Parkway (about 8 minutes) and Avenue I (about 9 minutes). Plenty of routes for families commuting in from across southern Brooklyn.
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 755 families responded (24% rate)
Programs & Activities
Admissions Demand
Students will explore the field of robotic design using a variety of hands on activities. Students begin with an introduction to the tools used to create robotic devices. As they progress through the series of classes, computer programming becomes an essential and vital element. This culminates in a capstone design project and teaching assistant positions for students to mentor our incoming engineers. Our Robotics Academy offers opportunities for scholarships and research opportunities.
This is an interdisciplinary program for students interested in understanding the natural and urban environment and environmental ethics through hands-on and project-based learning. Students will develop analytical and process skills that will prepare them for college and a career in environmental science and emerging green industries. In addition, students will explore the real-world use of hydroponics and the importance of green living. This culminates in a Capstone Project for Seniors.
Theater and music preparation program with courses in acting, movement, music theory, technical theater, and theater history. Students have the opportunity to perform in school plays, recitals, talent shows, multicultural shows, and Sing!
Our mission is to prepare students for college and career opportunities in fields such as advertising, graphic arts and design, publishing, photojournalism and videography. Courses are centered on a learning environment comprised of state of the art facilities including Mac labs, the complete suite of Adobe Creative Suite software, 3-D modeling printers, and advanced photography laboratories. There is a capstone project where students finalize their portfolio. College credit is available.
This program will allow students to explore the natural world through hands-on and project-based learning. Students will record observations, develop questions, design and conduct experiments, collect and interpret data, and propose new ideas from their conclusions. Students will have the opportunity to use multimedia to present their research articles or findings as a Capstone Project to panels of their peers in class, science fairs, research symposiums, and competitions throughout NYC.
This is a comprehensive program that is designed to expose students to the multiple functions that go into theatrical productions. Courses include: stage design, theater business, theater management, and lighting/sound design. In addition to the annual spring musical, students may showcase their talents in SING, holiday and spring concerts.
Dual Language programs are designed to integrate English Language Learners with English-proficient students to receive content instruction in English and a target language.
This program encourages student creativity through self-expression in Visual Arts with a 4-year sequence of coursework and elective opportunities . Courses include Art Appreciation, Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Fashion, and Ceramics, with the culminating course in Advanced Placement Art: 2D. All rooms are 21st Century state of the art and are dedicated solely to arts education. Students are engaged in portfolio development upon entrance into the program. Teachers work with students on the post-secondary application process for those interested in pursuing further study in the Arts. Upon successful completion of the coursework, students may be eligible to apply for a Regent's Endorsed Diploma with Advanced Designation in the Arts or a Certificate of Arts Achievement based upon the completion of their requirements.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
High school (9th grade)
High school is one citywide application, made in 8th grade. Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School admits through 9 programs, and each one has its own admissions method:
- Business Careers/Computer TechnologyEd. Opt.150 seats
- Dual Language ChineseScreened
- Math/Science AcademyEd. Opt.68 seats
- Performing ArtsLimited UnscreenedEvent priority68 seats
- STEAM-Multimedia DesignEd. Opt.
- STEAM-Science ResearchEd. Opt.
- Studio Art DesignEd. Opt.
- Technical TheaterEd. Opt.
- ZonedZoned
High school application
- Opened
- Tue, Oct 6
- Closes
- Fri, Dec 4
- Offers
- Wed, Mar 3
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the high school application, in 8th grade.
- 2Screened programs rank the 7th-grade core-course average, so last year's final grades are the ones that count.
- 3Programs marked “Event priority” put families who attended an open house, tour or information session first — sign in when you go.
- 4Educational Option programs fill in equal shares across three reading levels, half by the school's ranking and half by lottery.
- 5Zoned programs give priority to students who live in the zone — a priority, not a guaranteed seat.
- 6Rank programs in true preference order — the match places your child in the highest-ranked one that offers a seat.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
A program here gives priority to families who attended an event — sign in when you go.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School a good school?
- On Motley, Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School earns an overall rating of 50/100 — the average of the school's four-year graduation rate, the share of its students scoring college-ready (70+) on the English Regents, and its Regents completion rate, shown out of 100.
- What grades does Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School serve?
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School?
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School is a screened school — it admits by application, ranking applicants on their course grades (4th grade for middle school, the 7th-grade core-course average for high school); a few schools add an assessment, writing sample, or interview.
- Is Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School public, charter, or private?
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School is a public school in NYC Community School District 20.
- What neighborhood is Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School in?
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School is in Mapleton-Midwood (West), Brooklyn.