P.S. 016 Leonard Dunkly

P.S. 016's proficiency scores sit below the district averages of 62% in ELA and 59% in math, but the trend line tells a more interesting story. From 2016 through 2023, proficiency hovered between 11% and 26% — then jumped sharply to 25% ELA and 34% math in 2024, and again to 45% and 51% in 2025. That's roughly a quadrupling of proficiency in two years, which is unusual and suggests something structural has shifted — new leadership, a curriculum change, or a grade cohort that benefited from sustained support. By grade, third graders are leading in math (58%) and fourth graders are leading in ELA (57%), with fifth graders more middling. Students are still catching up rather than leading the district, but the direction matters.

The day-to-day feel at P.S. 016 is notably warm by the numbers. Every responding parent said their child has strong relationships with teachers, and parent-teacher trust sits at 97%. Teacher-reported safety is 100% — a rare figure — and there have been zero suspensions for two consecutive years, against a district average suspension rate of 0.56%. The flip side is attendance: at 83.6%, it's well below the district average of 89%, and 40% of students are chronically absent, with girls and Black students missing the most school. That's a real headwind for the academic gains. Still, teachers trust the principal (88%) and each other (96%), and instruction quality is rated 93% — suggesting a staff that feels aligned even while attendance challenges persist.

The student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic (63%) and Black (31%), with a small mix of other groups, and the diversity index of 52% reflects the fact that two groups dominate. Almost 90% of students qualify for the economic need index, which mirrors the neighborhood's reality — South Williamsburg's median household income is around $39,000 and nearly half of residents live below the poverty line. Twenty-eight percent of students have IEPs, which is a meaningful share and shapes what classrooms look like. The school draws a deeply local, working-class population, and the high parent survey response rate (93% of families) suggests those families are engaged with the school even when resources are tight.

South Williamsburg is a neighborhood where families are everywhere — nearly 45% of households include children, the highest such share you'll find in most parts of the city. The community is largely renter households, with homeownership under 17%, and the adult educational attainment is low, with only 17% of residents holding a bachelor's degree. The median home value is high relative to incomes, which speaks to the longer-term gentrification pressure on the area, though the day-to-day population remains working-class. It's a place where school is often the most stable institution in a child's week, and that context matters when reading the data here.

Families can reach the school on foot from the Marcy Av station (M, J, Z lines, about a 6-minute walk), with the Hewes St (M, J) and Broadway (G) stations also within roughly 10 to 13 minutes on foot.