Motley
District 1818
PublicDistrict 18 →Ed. Opt.

Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School

5800 TILDEN AVENUE

At a Glance

A tiny expeditionary high school with zero suspensions and a staff that genuinely trusts one another — but getting there without a subway is the real question.

Best suited for

Families seeking a small, tight-knit expeditionary high school — particularly those who value a calm disciplinary climate, project-based learning, and ELL or special-education supports — and who can solve the transportation puzzle without a nearby subway.

What stands out

  • Zero suspensions in the most recent reporting year — exceptional against the district norm
  • 100% teacher collegial trust on the most recent staff survey
  • Expeditionary learning model — a project-based, experiential approach uncommon in District 18
  • AP Courses paired with dedicated ELL support and a Humanities track
  • Highly selective admissions with a 25% offer rate, drawing nearly four applicants per seat

Things to consider

  • No subway access within a 20-minute walk — the commute is a real logistics factor
  • Class size of 21.9 matches the district average, so the small enrollment doesn't translate to tiny classes
  • 37% IEP enrollment is high — confirm that the school's special-education supports match your child's specific needs
  • Parent satisfaction at 84% sits well below the district average of ~93%, even though trust scores are strong — ask why
  • Survey response rates are low (7 teachers, 32 families), so trust and satisfaction numbers reflect a small sample
  • Diversity index of 36% means students will encounter a less racially varied peer group than at many Brooklyn high schools

Based on 2024-2025 data

School SummaryDistrict 18

Among District 18 schools listed as peers, Kurt Hahn's profile is distinct — most named comparators (East Flatbush Ascend, P.S. 244, P.S. 208, P.S. 276, New American Academy, Canarsie Ascend) are elementary or charter schools, so direct head-to-head benchmarking is limited. What stands out for a District 18 high school is the combination of zero suspensions, near-perfect staff trust, and selective admissions — a profile that contrasts with the district's overall suspension rate above 1% and parent satisfaction near 93%.

Academics

Steady

School-level ELA and Math proficiency figures were not available for this profile, so we can't benchmark academic outcomes against the district's 58% ELA / 61% Math averages. What the data does show: class size runs at 21.9 — exactly the district average — and the school offers AP Courses alongside a Humanities track, ELL support, and World Languages. The program richness score of 67.8/100 reflects a solid but not sprawling menu, and the 25% offer rate (roughly 3.8 applicants per seat) tells you the model attracts real interest from families across Brooklyn.

Culture

moderate

The day-to-day picture here is unusually calm. Zero suspensions against a district average suspension rate above 1% is striking, and the survey data backs it up: 100% teacher collegial trust, 90% teacher-principal trust, and 90% of teachers rating instruction quality positively. Parents report 96% trust in teachers and 92% trust in the principal — but overall parent satisfaction sits at 84%, noticeably below the district average of ~93%. One important caveat: only 7 teachers and 32 families responded to the surveys, so these snapshots reflect a small slice of the community. The trust signals inside the building are strong; the gap in overall parent satisfaction is worth asking current families about directly.

Community

Eighty-one percent of students identify as Black, with another 14% Hispanic and small shares of White, Asian, and Native American students — producing a diversity index of 36%, meaning the student body is more demographically concentrated than the surrounding neighborhood. About 37% of students have IEPs, a notably high share that signals substantial special-education programming. The economic need index of 82.3 indicates most students come from low-income households, which contrasts with the neighborhood's median household income of $71,298 — a reminder that the student population is drawn from a broader geography than the immediate census tract.

Neighborhood

East Flatbush-Rugby

East Flatbush-Rugby is a predominantly Caribbean-American residential pocket where about 39% of households own their homes and the median home value sits near $669,000. Median household income is $71,298 with a 13.4% poverty rate, and roughly a quarter of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Notably, only 12.2% of households in the area include children — lower than many school zones — which means most families here are empty-nesters or adults without kids.

There are no subway stations within a 20-minute walk of the school. Families will need to plan around bus routes, driving, or carpooling for the daily commute — a meaningful consideration for a small specialized high school that draws from across the borough.

Survey Results

Family Feedback
Satisfaction
84%
Teacher Trust
96%
Principal Trust
92%
Relationships
n/a
Teacher Perspective
Instruction
90%
Principal Trust
90%
Collegial Trust
100%
Safety
n/a

NYC School Survey (2025) · 32 families responded (19% rate)

Programs & Activities

Academic(2)
AP CoursesHumanities
Sports(12)
BaseballBasketballBowlingCross CountryFlag FootballFootballIndoor TrackOutdoor TrackSoccerStuntSwimmingVolleyball
Language(2)
ELL SupportSpanish

Admissions Demand

Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning SchoolCompetitive
Seats67
Applicants253
Apps/Seat3.8
Offer Rate25%
Fill Raten/a

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Low
14%Hispanic/Latino
81%Black
3%White
2%Native American

NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23

Discipline

0suspensions

NYSED Student & Educator Database

Economic Need & Special Populations

Economic Need Index
82.3%
IEP Students
37.3%

How to get in, step by step

High school (9th grade)

High school is one citywide application, made in 8th grade. Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School admits through one program, and each one has its own admissions method:

  • Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning SchoolEd. Opt.

High school application

Opened
Tue, Oct 6
Closes
Fri, Dec 4
Offers
Wed, Mar 3

The DOE’s published dates.

  1. 1Apply on MySchools during the high school application, in 8th grade.
  2. 2Educational Option programs fill in equal shares across three reading levels, half by the school's ranking and half by lottery.
  3. 3Rank programs in true preference order — the match places your child in the highest-ranked one that offers a seat.

Open houses and tours

We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.

From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School a good school?
Published quality ratings aren't available for Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School yet on Motley. It's a public school serving grades 9 to 12 in East Flatbush-Rugby.
What grades does Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School serve?
Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School serves grades 9 to 12.
How do students get into Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School?
Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School uses the Educational Option (Ed-Opt) method, ranking applicants across performance levels so seats go to a mix of abilities.
Is Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School public, charter, or private?
Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School is a public school in NYC Community School District 18.
What neighborhood is Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School in?
Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School is in East Flatbush-Rugby, Brooklyn.