At a Glance
An engagement-first elementary school where subjects blur together and kids actually want to come back
Best suited for
Families with elementary-age children who want an engaged, interdisciplinary, arts-rich education at a relatively attainable price point, and who are comfortable building a separate middle school plan in a few years.
What stands out
- Tuition in the $18,000–$19,000 range is unusually accessible for a NYC private elementary with this program breadth.
- The arts program is unusually wide for the price — dance, music, theatre, and visual arts all named explicitly.
- Mandarin and Latin together is a distinctive language pairing; most schools at this level pick one or the other.
- PK through 5th grade only — a focused elementary experience without the complications of a larger K–12 structure.
- Interdisciplinary philosophy is baked into the school's stated mission rather than tacked on as an enrichment.
Things to consider
- The school ends at 5th grade, so families will need a separate plan — and re-application — for middle school.
- Public information on selectivity, accreditation, and post-5th-grade outcomes is thin; the picture here leans heavily on parent reviews.
- South Brooklyn commute: doable on the B/Q, but not convenient for families living in Manhattan or upper Brooklyn.
- Brighton Beach's housing market is more affordable than many NYC private-school neighborhoods, but the area's commercial strips can feel gritty to families used to Park Slope or the Upper West Side.
Identity
A nonsectarian private elementary school serving PK through 5th grade, organized around the idea that engagement is the foundation of academic success and that learning should cross subject boundaries. The school leans progressive in spirit, prioritizing relevance, connection, and 21st-century preparation over traditional drill-and-practice.
Community
Brighton Beach is one of NYC's most culturally layered neighborhoods, with deep Russian-speaking roots alongside broader immigrant communities, and the school reflects that working-class, multilingual flavor of the area. Parent reviews paint a picture of highly invested families who feel genuinely welcomed by the staff and pleased with their children's growth.
Neighborhood
Brighton Beach sits on the southern Brooklyn coast with a median household income around $49,000 and a notably high share of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher. It's a dense, walkable, family-oriented area with a strong neighborhood feel — more residential seaside enclave than commuter suburb. The school is tucked into this community rather than perched on a main commercial drag.
The Brighton Beach B/Q stop is about an 8-minute walk, with Sheepshead Bay (B/Q) roughly 11 minutes and Ocean Pkwy (Q) about 15 minutes away — reasonable from anywhere on the B/Q line but not a quick hop from Manhattan.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Extremely positive - parents describe it as the best decision for their families, praise highly professional teachers, excellent communication, and strong student progression. Multiple reviews highlight children loving school and teachers who truly care.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is LEARN AND EXPLORE ACADEMY a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for LEARN AND EXPLORE ACADEMY yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Brighton Beach.
- What grades does LEARN AND EXPLORE ACADEMY serve?
- LEARN AND EXPLORE ACADEMY serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into LEARN AND EXPLORE ACADEMY?
- LEARN AND EXPLORE ACADEMY runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is LEARN AND EXPLORE ACADEMY public, charter, or private?
- LEARN AND EXPLORE ACADEMY is a private school.
- What neighborhood is LEARN AND EXPLORE ACADEMY in?
- LEARN AND EXPLORE ACADEMY is in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.