I.S. 228 David A. Boody

Both ELA (67.1%) and Math (72.4%) sit comfortably above the district averages of about 60% and 63% respectively, and the trend line tells the real story: ELA has climbed from 38% in 2016 and Math from 38.6% to 72.4% — essentially a doubling over the decade. The gains have accelerated since 2022, particularly in math, where 7th graders hit 78.6% proficiency, the school's standout cohort. The overall quality score of 2.79/4 also beats the district average of 2.46/4, putting Boody in the upper tier of District 21 middle schools.

The trust numbers here are excellent. Parents give the principal a 97% approval rating and teachers 96%, while teachers rate their own instruction quality at 97% — meaningfully higher than the district average of about 93%. That suggests a staff that feels supported and a leadership team families actually engage with. The two flags are real, though: chronic absenteeism runs at 72.2%, which is striking even in a post-pandemic context, and suspensions, while still low in absolute terms at about 1%, have climbed from 5 to 15 to 21 over the last three years. Parents should ask what's driving both numbers and how the school is responding.

The student body is unusually balanced for a District 21 middle school: roughly 42% White, 30% Asian, 23% Hispanic, and 3% Black, with a diversity index of 69%. About 15% of students have IEPs and there's an ELL support track. The neighborhood picture mirrors this mix — Gravesend (West) has a 22.4% poverty rate alongside a 30.6% college-educated rate and a median household income around $72,000, so families coming through the door reflect the full economic range of the area, not just one slice of it.

Gravesend (West) is a working- and middle-class stretch of southern Brooklyn where about a quarter of households have kids and homeownership sits under 40%. The median home value near $985K tells you this is a stable, owner-occupied pocket even with a 22% poverty rate — the housing stock is established and the families tend to stay. Three subway lines are within a short walk, so commuting here from elsewhere in Brooklyn is realistic.

The school is about a 6-minute walk from three stations: Avenue U on the N line and Kings Hwy on both the N and the F lines. That's unusual transit access for a District 21 middle school.