Hebrew Language Academy Charter School

This school has flipped its academic narrative. Just two years ago, math sat at 44.9%; now it's at 72.7% — a 28-point jump that puts it meaningfully above the district average of 60.5%. ELA has also climbed steadily, from the mid-40s in 2019 to now 60.8%, essentially matching the district average of 61%. But there's a weak spot: science proficiency is shockingly low at 5.3%, which suggests the STEM curriculum may be imbalanced or resources are focused elsewhere. The grade-level breakdown shows stronger upper elementary and middle school performance — Grade 7 math hits 90.6% and Grade 3 math hits 97.5% — while middle school ELA hovers closer to 50%.

The survey numbers here are extraordinary: 99% parent satisfaction, 99% parent-teacher trust, 99% parent-principal trust, and 97% of teachers rate instruction quality as high. Safety scores from teachers land at 97%. But dig deeper and there's a troubling pattern — chronic absenteeism sits at 68.9%, meaning roughly two-thirds of students are missing significant school time. This isn't a discipline problem; it's an attendance one. The chronic absence rate is highest among Black students (75.2%) and males (70.2%). Teacher response rates to the survey were low (40 responses), which makes the 85% collegial trust score harder to fully weight. The disconnect between sky-high family satisfaction and high absenteeism suggests families love the school culture but struggles with getting kids there consistently.

The student body is 71% Black, 16% White, 9% Hispanic, and 2% Asian, with an economic need index of 60.4% — meaning a majority of students come from financially stressed households. This stands in contrast to the neighborhood, which is affluent (median household income $108,395) with only 7% poverty and 73.9% homeownership. So the school draws students from beyond its immediate wealthy enclave, serving a more economically diverse population than the surrounding blocks would suggest. The diversity index of 51% is moderate, and 19% of students have IEPs.

Marine Park-Mill Basin-Bergen Beach is a stable, family-oriented section of Brooklyn characterized by single-family homes, a strong sense of community, and excellent education orientation (scoring 80.46 out of 100). The area has a high homeownership rate (73.9%) and low poverty (7%), making it one of Brooklyn's more economically secure neighborhoods. Safety scores are moderate (67.43), and there's decent transit access (59). There's access to Marine Park itself, which offers green space and recreation. The neighborhood skews older and more settled, which contributes to its stability score of 80.46 — but family density is relatively low at 35.25, meaning fewer young children in the area than you might expect.

This is a car-dependent neighborhood. Most families will drive or use巴士 to get here, as the area lacks the walkable commercial corridors found in denser parts of Brooklyn. The school is located on Mill Avenue in a residential pocket.