P.S. 048 Joseph R. Drake

Test scores at P.S. 048 have climbed from pandemic lows (10.5% ELA in 2022) but still lag significantly behind District 8 averages — the current 27.7% ELA proficiency is roughly half the district's 46% average. Math performs similarly at 27.7%. Third graders perform best (36% ELA), while fifth graders lag (19% ELA), indicating that older students may be further behind. The 1.11 overall score on the 4-point scale is well below the district average of 1.88.

The climate data tells a nuanced story. Parents overwhelmingly trust the school — 98% parent-teacher trust and 100% report strong relationships — and teachers rate instruction quality high at 94%. Safety is reported at 92%, above the district average. However, chronic absenteeism is alarming at 51.5%, affecting both genders and disproportionately Black students (57%). Teacher-principal trust sits at 80%, lower than parent trust, and only 17 teachers completed the survey. The discipline record is clean with zero suspensions.

Nearly three-quarters of students are Hispanic (73%) and a quarter are Black (24%), reflecting the neighborhood's demographics. With 93.8% economic need and 23% IEP students, this is a high-need population. The diversity index is low at 38% because the student body is fairly homogeneous, which is typical for this neighborhood.

Hunts Point is one of the city's most economically stressed neighborhoods. Median household income is just $38,841, only 13% of adults have bachelor's degrees, and nearly a third of residents live in poverty. Homeownership is rare at 9.5%, meaning most families rent. Safety scores are low (37.55 percentile), and family-oriented amenities are scarce. However, the neighborhood shows stability at 70% and has some green space and community resources.

Many families walk to this zoned school, though the neighborhood's low transit score (23.37) means car dependency is common for longer trips.