At a Glance
A well-resourced, high-achieving middle school in southern Staten Island where math scores have nearly doubled in a decade and parents are nearly unanimous in their satisfaction.
Best suited for
Staten Island families — especially those in the southern end of the borough — who want a well-resourced middle school with strong academics, a rich arts and extracurricular life, and a parent community that is actively engaged.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of NY State ELA + math proficiency, grades 3–8
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- Math proficiency has climbed 26 percentage points since 2016, an unusually steep trajectory for a NYC middle school.
- Parent satisfaction at 97% and parent-principal trust at 96% are rare levels of buy-in across a school of this size.
- Suspensions have dropped from 10 to 2 in a single year, well below the district average.
- An unusually robust arts program — band, jazz band, multicultural band, dance, theater, and glee — sits alongside academic acceleration and Regents prep.
- Seventh grade is performing at a notably high level (88.4% math, 81.1% ELA), suggesting the school's middle years are its academic sweet spot.
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism is reported at a strikingly high level (77.9%) — worth asking the administration directly how they define and address it.
- The school is not walkable to transit; the nearest SIR stations are a 16–17 minute walk, which limits spontaneity and after-school flexibility for car-free families.
- Class size of 23.4 matches the district average — families seeking unusually small classes won't find that here.
- Racial diversity is limited (74% White, 1% Black), so families looking for a more multicultural environment may want to weigh that.
- With 1,154 students, this is a large middle school — the energy and resources that come with size are real, but so is the feeling of being one of many.
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 31
I.S. 007 sits comfortably in the top tier of District 31 schools, with an overall score of 3.2/4 against a district average of 2.45 and proficiency rates that exceed most of its peer elementary schools by a wide margin. It is one of the standout middle school options in the borough.
Academics
Test scores here tell a striking growth story. Math proficiency has climbed from 56.7% in 2016 to 83% today — a 26-point jump that puts this school roughly 22 points above the district math average of 61%. ELA proficiency has followed a similar arc, rising from 58% to 77%, about 16 points above the district average of 61%. Science proficiency at 73% rounds out a picture of consistent strength across subjects. Seventh graders are the academic standout (88.4% math, 81.1% ELA), and the school's overall 3.2/4 score sits well above the district average of 2.45.
Culture
The day-to-day feel at I.S. 007 is calm and well-led. Only 2 suspensions were recorded in 2023-24 — a sharp drop from 10 the prior year and well below the district average suspension rate — suggesting a culture where discipline issues are rare or handled without formal removals. Parent-teacher trust sits at 96% and teacher instruction quality at 98%, both meaningfully above district norms. Attendance is solid at 93% (above the district's 91.4%), though the chronic absenteeism figure is high, which is worth asking the school about directly during a visit.
Community
The student body is 74% White, 12% Asian, 12% Hispanic, and 1% Black — a racial mix that mirrors the surrounding neighborhood more than New York City as a whole, and the diversity index of 45% reflects that. With an economic need index of 33.8 and a household poverty rate of just 5.4% in the surrounding census area, this is a relatively advantaged school population where most families own their homes. About 20% of students have IEPs and ELL support is offered, so the school does serve a real range of learners even within its more affluent demographic base.
Neighborhood
The school anchors the Annadale-Huguenot-Prince's Bay-Woodrow area, where median household income is around $118,500, homeownership is nearly 80%, and roughly a third of households include children. This is suburban-feeling Staten Island — quiet blocks, drive-everywhere routines, and a population that's educated (41.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher) and financially stable. The school reflects that stability as much as it shapes it.
There is no nearby subway within a comfortable walking radius — Huguenot and Prince's Bay stations on the Staten Island Railway are both about a 16–17 minute walk, and most families likely drive.
Academic Performance
ELA Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State ELA exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Math Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Math exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Science Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Science exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Historical Trends
The dashed line marks 2023, when New York changed its grades 3–8 state tests. Scores before and after it aren’t directly comparable.
2020–2021 data unavailable due to COVID-19
Source: NYC DOE School Quality Reports
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 451 families responded (39% rate)
Programs & Activities
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database (2023-24)
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
Middle school (6th grade)
Middle school is one citywide application, made in 5th grade. I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein admits through one program, and each one has its own admissions method:
- Elias Bernstein (I.S. 7)Zoned267 seats
Middle school application
- Opened
- Wed, Oct 14
- Closes
- Fri, Dec 11
- Offers
- Wed, Apr 7
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the middle school application, in 5th grade.
- 2Zoned programs give priority to students who live in the zone — a priority, not a guaranteed seat.
- 3Rank 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.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein a good school?
- On Motley, I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein earns an overall rating of 80/100 — the average of the school's New York State ELA and math proficiency, grades 3–8, shown out of 100. Its state test results run above the District 31 average.
- What grades does I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein serve?
- I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein serves grades 6 to 8.
- How do students get into I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein?
- I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein admits by zone — students who live in its zone get priority over students from outside it, but not a guaranteed seat.
- Is I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein public, charter, or private?
- I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein is a public school in NYC Community School District 31.
- What neighborhood is I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein in?
- I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein is in Annadale-Huguenot-Prince's Bay-Woodrow, Staten Island.