At a Glance
A screened middle school with passionate teachers and rich programming, but math proficiency that lags significantly behind the district average
Families who prioritize school culture, teacher relationships, and rich programming over raw academic performance — particularly those whose children learn well in environments with high trust and strong arts/STEM offerings. Parents should be prepared to provide math support at home given the proficiency gap, and should investigate the chronic absence and discipline patterns further before enrolling.
- Teacher trust and instruction quality both rate at 98% — among the highest in the district
- 100/100 program richness score with extensive arts, STEM, and extracurricular offerings including algebra, robotics, and Saturday academy
- Screened admissions bringing academically motivated families
- High diversity (70% index) with strong representation across racial groups
- Strong parent engagement — 58% survey response rate and 157 family responses
- Math proficiency at 33.3% is nearly half the district average of 60.5% — a significant gap
- Chronic absenteeism at 65.7% is extremely high, with Black students missing at 82%
- Suspension rate of 5% is more than 10x the district average — discipline may be a lever
- 8th grade math (27.7%) lags considerably behind 7th grade (42%)
- PTA fundraising at $55/student is slightly below the district average of $56
- Only 25 teacher survey responses — small sample size may not fully represent staff sentiment
- Math performance has fluctuated significantly year to year (23.9% in 2022, 43.5% in 2023, 33.3% in 2025)
Based on 2024-2025 data
School SummaryDistrict 22
Among District 22's screened middle schools, I.S. 381 falls below peer schools like Success Academy Bergen Beach (89/100) and P.S. 195 Manhattan Beach (85/100). Its overall score of 1.72/4 places it in the bottom tier of a district where the average is 2.43/4. The school outperforms only on climate and culture surveys — teacher trust, instruction quality, and parent satisfaction all exceed district averages — but underperforms on the metrics that typically drive school choice: academic proficiency.
Test scores here have come a long way since 2016 — ELA climbed from 38% to 53% and math more than doubled from 13% to 33%. But the 2025 numbers show a school that's still catching up: ELA at 52.7% and math at 33.3% fall well below District 22's averages of 61% and 60% respectively. Grade-level data reveals a telling pattern — 7th graders perform strongest (58% ELA, 42% math) while 8th graders show a math dip to 27.7%. The school earns a 1.72 overall score compared to the district's 2.43, placing it firmly in the lower tier of Brooklyn's District 22 middle schools.
The climate data tells a complicated story. Families absolutely love this school — parent satisfaction hits 92% and trust in both teachers and principal reaches 97%. Teachers themselves rate instruction quality at an exceptional 98%, far above the district average of 90%. But there's a serious attendance problem: 65.7% of students are chronically absent, with Black students missing at an alarming 82% rate. Discipline is also a concern — the 5% suspension rate is more than 10 times the district average of 0.47%. The school had 13 suspensions last year, up from 8 the prior year. These attendance and discipline patterns suggest some underlying challenges that high survey satisfaction scores don't fully capture.
The student body is 58% Black, 18% Hispanic, 10% White, 9% Asian, and 4% multi-racial — more diverse than many Brooklyn schools with a 70% diversity index. Twenty-one percent of students have IEPs, and the economic need index sits at 67%, reflecting a population that faces significant challenges. This mirrors Midwood's demographics: a working-to-middle-class neighborhood with 70% homeownership in the broader area (though only 32% in the immediate area), moderate poverty at 17%, and strong educational orientation with half of adults holding BA+ degrees.
Midwood is a transit-accessible Brooklyn neighborhood with a strong family orientation — 67% family density score and 67% education orientation on neighborhood metrics. The area offers good train access (61% transit score) but safety scores are moderate (41%) and environmental health indicators show concerns: elevated lead rates (20%) and asthma emergency department visits (104 per 10,000). The neighborhood has shifted over time with changing demographics, and families appreciate its relative quiet compared to more touristy parts of Brooklyn. The median home value of $922,000 reflects its desirability for families.
The school is accessible by foot from surrounding blocks and via the nearby B36 or B41 bus lines connecting to the subway. Families from deeper in Midwood or nearby Gerritsen Beach typically 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
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 157 families responded (58% rate)
Programs & Activities
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Economic Need & Special Populations
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database (2023-24)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is I. S. 381 a good school?
- On Motley, I. S. 381 earns an overall quality score of 43/100 — a blend of New York State ELA and math results, attendance, and the school-climate survey. Its state test results run below the District 22 average.
- What grades does I. S. 381 serve?
- I. S. 381 serves grades 6 to 8.
- How do students get into I. S. 381?
- I. S. 381 is a screened school — it admits by application, weighing grades, attendance, and sometimes a test or interview.
- Is I. S. 381 public, charter, or private?
- I. S. 381 is a public school in NYC Community School District 22.
- What neighborhood is I. S. 381 in?
- I. S. 381 is in Midwood, Brooklyn.
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