I.S. 285 Meyer Levin

Test scores show real improvement: ELA climbed from 27% (2016) to 51.5% (2025), and math jumped from 13.3% to 40.3% over the same period — a near-tripling of math proficiency. However, both subjects remain below the district averages of 58% ELA and 61% math. The overall quality score of 1.84 out of 4 also trails the district average of 2.39. Grade-level breakdowns show consistent performance across sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, suggesting the gains aren't concentrated in one cohort.

Survey data reveals a distinctive pattern: teachers rate instruction quality at 100% and report strong collegial trust (89%), but chronic absenteeism at 65.4% is remarkably high — far above what you'd expect given the 90% attendance rate (the math suggests many absences are concentrated among a subset of students). Parent trust in the principal (90%) and teachers (88%) is solid but slightly below district averages. The discipline picture is encouraging: just 2 suspensions in 2023-24, down from 5 the prior year, with a 0% suspension rate that beats the district average of 1%.

With 91% Black students, this is one of the most demographically homogeneous middle schools in the city — far below the typical diversity index for Brooklyn. Twenty-five percent of students have IEPs, reflecting substantial special education population. The economic need index of 70.7 indicates high poverty, consistent with the neighborhood's profile. PTA fundraising is minimal at $1 per student ($400 total), suggesting limited volunteer infrastructure compared to the district average of $23 per student.

East Flatbush-Rugby is a working-to-middle-class Brooklyn neighborhood known for its Caribbean influence, especially Jamaican and Haitian communities. The area scores poorly on safety (29.5 percentile) and health environment (18.8 percentile), with elevated crime density and asthma rates. However, it has decent transit access (67.8 percentile) and family density (60.9 percentile). Median home values of $668,743 reflect this area's recent gentrification pressures. The neighborhood has a 25.4% college-educated population, below citywide averages.

Families likely travel by bus or car — the area's moderate transit score suggests decent subway and bus access, but East Flatbush isn't particularly walkable for most families. Street parking near the school can be challenging during drop-off and pickup.