P.S. 028 The Warren Prep Academy

Test scores at P.S. 028 are significantly below the District 16 average — 29.3% in ELA versus 57.6% district-wide, and 44.8% in math versus 57% district-wide. The overall quality score of 1.48 out of 4 places it near the bottom of the district. However, the school has made real progress: math proficiency climbed from just 11.8% in 2016 to 44.8% in 2019, a gain of 33 percentage points. ELA improved more modestly, from 20% to 29.3%. The math growth is notable and suggests that instruction in that subject is clicking for more students, even as reading comprehension remains a stubborn challenge.

The attendance picture is concerning: while the overall attendance rate of 89.1% is roughly on par with the district, the chronic absenteeism rate of 52.4% is exceptionally high — more than half of students are missing significant school time. This kind of absenteeism usually signals deeper issues with family stability, school engagement, or both. Parent satisfaction sits at just 60.2%, well below the district average of 91.3%, and teachers rate instruction quality at 63.4%, also below the district norm of 86.1%. These numbers suggest that parents and staff have reservations about the school experience, and the high absenteeism suggests those concerns may be affecting whether families show up.

The school draws from Bedford-Stuyvesant (East), a neighborhood where about 23% of households live in poverty and 40.8% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher — a mix of working-class and middle-class families. With a median home value over $1.1 million and only 26.7% homeownership, most families here are renters. The neighborhood has a relatively low share of households with children (11.9%), making this a transient area in some ways, which may contribute to the attendance challenges. The school's demographics likely reflect this economically diverse but financially stretched community.

Bedford-Stuyvesant offers families excellent transit access (94.64 percentile) and a strong sense of community, but safety is a real concern with a crime density score that places it in a lower percentile. The neighborhood has environmental health challenges, including elevated lead rates and high asthma emergency department visits. Family density is high (87th percentile), meaning lots of kids in the area, though the share of households with children is lower. There are parks and community resources, but families should be aware of the safety data when considering after-school activities.

Highly walkable with strong subway access — families without cars can easily reach the school, though the neighborhood's safety scores suggest parents may prefer walking with younger children rather than letting them commute alone