J.H.S. 292 Margaret S. Douglas

Test scores at J.H.S. 292 place it below the District 19 averages — 39.7% in ELA versus the district's 48.9% and 32.8% in math versus 48.2% — meaning students are performing notably below their peers across the district. However, the school has climbed from 31.5% ELA in 2016 to nearly 40% today, showing meaningful improvement over time. The 8th grade stands out, reaching 49.4% ELA proficiency and 37.1% math, while 6th grade struggles more significantly with just 20.6% math proficiency. This suggests the school may be more successful in supporting older students who have had time to adjust.

Parents love this school — 96% satisfaction and 98% trust in teachers are exceptional numbers that suggest families feel heard and valued. Teacher instruction quality scores a perfect 100%, though teachers themselves show lower trust in leadership (71% teacher-principal trust versus 96% parent-principal trust). The attendance picture is concerning: chronic absenteeism sits at 58.6%, far above what you'd want to see, and the attendance rate of 88.2% trails the district average. Discipline is a notable consideration — the suspension rate is 6%, three times the district average of 1.6%, and has climbed from 7 suspensions in 2021-22 to 19 in 2023-24. Parents should know about this trajectory.

The student body is predominantly Black (48%) and Hispanic (31%), with 18% Asian and a very small white population (2%). With an economic need index of 90.9% — meaning nearly all students come from households facing significant financial hardship — this is a school serving a high-need population. The diversity index of 64% reflects a relatively diverse student body, though the neighborhood itself has low rates of college-educated residents (15.7% with BA+). Twenty-seven percent of students have IEPs, a notably high proportion.

East New York (North) is a predominantly working-class Brooklyn neighborhood with a family density score of 67.82, meaning lots of families with children. The area scores poorly on safety (24.9 percentile) and education orientation (30.27 percentile), reflecting the challenges families here face. However, transit access is strong (70.88 percentile), making commutes to other parts of the city feasible. Median home values of $616,916 suggest the neighborhood is gentrifying, but median household income of $57,841 and a 25.1% poverty rate show economic strain remains prevalent.

Families in the neighborhood can walk to school, but those coming from further afield benefit from strong transit access — the area is well-served by bus lines and the subway is accessible.