P.S. 041 Francis White

P.S. 041 has undergone a dramatic academic transformation. As recently as 2023, only about 21% of students were proficient in ELA and 20% in math — well below district averages. By 2025, those numbers surged to 63.4% ELA and 64.4% Math, both exceeding the district averages of 52% and 51% respectively. This isn't a gradual improvement — it's a near-tripling of scores in two years. Grade 4 performs strongest (80% ELA, 81.5% Math), while Grade 5 lags somewhat in math (43.5%). The overall score of 2.56/4 also exceeds the district average of 2.06, placing this school among the higher performers in District 23.

The culture at P.S. 041 appears exceptionally strong by most measures. Parents report 95% satisfaction, and both parent-teacher trust and parent-principal trust sit at 96% — nearly as high as any school in the city. Teachers give instruction quality a remarkable 99% rating, and 98% report feeling safe at school. These numbers far exceed district averages. There's also a clear positive trajectory in discipline: suspensions dropped from 14 in 2021-22 to just 1 in 2023-24. However, chronic absenteeism at 61.5% is alarmingly high — far above the district average — suggesting that while families feel good about the school when they're engaged, getting students through the door consistently is a significant challenge.

P.S. 041 enrolls 244 students in a school that's 59% Black, 33% Hispanic, 3% Multi-Racial, and 4% Native American — reflecting the demographics of Brownsville, which is predominantly Black and Hispanic. The diversity index of 54% is moderate. Nearly a quarter of students (23%) have IEPs, indicating significant special education population. The class size of 19.7 students is essentially average for the district. PTA fundraising is $12 per student, roughly matching the district average, suggesting moderate but not exceptional family financial involvement.

Brownsville is one of Brooklyn's highest-poverty neighborhoods, with a median household income of just $33,494 and a 37.6% poverty rate. Only 13.4% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher, and just 14.2% own homes — most families rent. The neighborhood scores poorly on safety (19th percentile) and stability (11th percentile), reflecting the challenges of a historically disinvested area. However, transit access is excellent (87th percentile), making car-free commuting feasible. Family density is low (36th percentile), meaning fewer children in the neighborhood overall. The area has elevated environmental health concerns, including higher lead exposure rates and asthma emergency department visits.

Brownsville has excellent transit access, so families can often rely on public transportation. The area is walkable for local residents, though it's not a neighborhood where you'd typically walk long distances — most families either take the bus or subway.