I.S. 392

I.S. 392's ELA proficiency of 64.4% sits roughly 12 percentage points above the District 23 average of 52%, the school's clear academic bright spot — and the highest ELA mark in the eight-year data set after several years bouncing in the mid-50s to low-60s. Math is the opposite story: at 43.6% it trails the district average of about 51%, and the long-term trend has been downward from a 2019 high of 54.2%, including a striking collapse to 24.7% in 2022 from which it has only partially recovered. The grade-level breakdown is the most telling detail — sixth and seventh graders post reasonable math proficiency (48% and 58%), but eighth-grade math falls to just 22%, something families should ask about directly when they visit.

The trust and instruction numbers here are the headline: every surveyed teacher rated instruction quality positively, teacher-principal trust sits at 98%, and parent-principal trust at 96%, suggesting a faculty and leadership team that are unusually aligned. Daily attendance is strong at 93.5%, well above the district's 88.6%, and discipline is light with only two suspensions last year, well below the district rate of 1.6%. The number parents need to sit with, though, is chronic absenteeism at 76.9% — meaning more than three-quarters of students missed enough school to be flagged, a pattern that almost certainly contributes to the weaker math outcomes. Day-to-day, this reads as a calm school where adults are on the same page and students who show up are well-supported; the harder job is getting students through the door consistently.

I.S. 392's student body is 79% Black and 15% Hispanic, with 18% of students classified as having IEPs and an economic need index of 77 — high, meaning most students come from households facing economic pressure. The demographics mirror Brownsville itself, a neighborhood where median household income hovers around $33,500 and about 38% of residents live below the poverty line. With just 327 students across three grades, this is a small middle school — small enough that staff can plausibly know every family — and admissions are screened, adding a layer of selectivity beyond a typical zoned school.

Brownsville is one of the poorer neighborhoods in Brooklyn: median household income is around $33,500, more than 37% of residents are below the poverty line, and only 14% of households own their homes. Just under 8% of households have children under 18, a low share for New York City that reflects a community with relatively few families. About 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree. Families getting to school have three 3 train stops nearby — Saratoga Avenue and Sutter Avenue-Rutland Road at about a 6-minute walk, and Rockaway Avenue at about 11 minutes — so the commute is straightforward for anyone along that line.

Three 3 train stations serve the school: Saratoga Avenue and Sutter Avenue-Rutland Road are each about a 6-minute walk, and Rockaway Avenue is about 11 minutes on foot.