At a Glance
A Cypress Hills elementary where the test-score climb tells the story of a school that figured something out
Best suited for
Families who live in the zone, value strong academics and tight parent-school relationships, and are comfortable in a working-class, predominantly Hispanic neighborhood.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of NY State ELA + math proficiency, grades 3–8
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- ELA and math proficiency have roughly doubled since 2016, an extraordinary trajectory for any public school.
- Zero suspensions over three consecutive years, paired with 98% teacher-reported safety — a rare combination.
- 92% family survey response rate and 96% parent satisfaction show families feel deeply connected to this school.
- Math proficiency at 82.6% sits 34 points above the district average — a meaningful outlier in District 19.
- Exceptional subway access with the J train a two-minute walk away.
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism at 74.3% is high and could slow further academic gains even with strong instruction.
- PTA fundraising comes in at just $15 per student, well below the district average of $18.50 — meaning enrichment programs rely heavily on school budget rather than parent dollars.
- 23% of students have IEPs; families of children with special needs should ask specifically about how services are staffed and delivered.
- The school is zoned only — admission depends on where you live, not on a lottery or selection process.
- The student body is heavily Hispanic-concentrated, which some families will see as a strength and others may want to consider.
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 19
In a district where the average elementary proficiency hovers around 48% and the average overall score is 1.94/4, P.S. 108's 3.16/4 and 75%+ ELA and math scores make it one of the strongest-performing zoned schools in the area. It's a clear standout among its peer schools in Cypress Hills and East New York.
Academics
These are standout numbers in District 19. With ELA proficiency at 75.3% and math at 82.6%, students here are outperforming the district average by roughly 26 and 34 percentage points respectively. The trajectory is the more striking thing — math proficiency has climbed almost every year since 2016, from 41.7% to 82.6%, and ELA has followed a similar upward arc (42.5% to 75.3%) with the biggest jump coming in 2025. Results are strong across all tested grades, with Grade 4 math hitting 87%.
Culture
The survey numbers here tell a story of a tight-knit community. Parent satisfaction (96%), parent-principal trust (98%), and teacher-reported safety (98%) all sit well above district averages, and an extraordinary 92% of families responded to the climate survey — a sign that parents feel ownership of the school. Zero suspensions over three years is rare and worth noting. The one real concern is chronic absenteeism: 74.3% of students are missing 10% or more of the school year, even though day-to-day attendance is healthy at 92.9%. That gap suggests a subset of kids are struggling to get there consistently.
Community
The student body is 82% Hispanic, 10% Black, and small shares of Asian, Native American, and White students — a much more homogeneous population than the 38% diversity index alone might suggest. The economic need index of 86.2 reflects families with limited resources, and 23% of students have IEPs. This is a school serving almost entirely working-class East Brooklyn families, and the parent survey response rate of 92% suggests those families are deeply engaged even when fundraising dollars are modest.
Neighborhood
Cypress Hills is a working-class residential pocket of East Brooklyn where the median household income is around $66,000, only a third of households own their homes, and about one in five households include children. The BA+ education rate of 16.9% reflects a neighborhood where many parents didn't finish college themselves — making the school's academic results all the more notable. It's a community built around elevated subway stops and modest rowhouse blocks.
The school is exceptionally well-served by transit: the J at Cleveland St is a two-minute walk, the J/Z at Norwood Av about five minutes, and the C at Shepherd Av about eleven minutes on foot.
Academic Performance
ELA Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State ELA exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Math Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Math exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Historical Trends
The dashed line marks 2023, when New York changed its grades 3–8 state tests. Scores before and after it aren’t directly comparable.
2020–2021 data unavailable due to COVID-19
Source: NYC DOE School Quality Reports
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 592 families responded (92% rate)
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database (2023-24)
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
Pre-K
P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento also has Pre-K classes. They're a separate application from kindergarten, made on MySchools.
Pre-K application
Applications typically open in the winter and close in the spring, with offers in late spring; the city announces exact dates each year.
Kindergarten
P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento has an attendance zone. At elementary level, in-zone students get a guaranteed seat. Every family still applies on MySchools: the application confirms the zoned seat, and ranking other schools doesn't cost you it.
Kindergarten application
- Opens
- Wed, Dec 9
- Closes
- Fri, Jan 22
- Offers
- Tue, Mar 30
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Check that your address is inside the zone — zones change, so confirm it before you sign a lease.
- 2Apply during the kindergarten application, even with a zoned seat.
- 3Rank this school along with any others you'd take, in true preference order.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
Make this school part of your plan
Everything on this page is yours to read. An account keeps your research in one place.
No credit card required
Compare head-to-head
Explore nearby
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento a good school?
- On Motley, P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento earns an overall rating of 79/100 — the average of the school's New York State ELA and math proficiency, grades 3–8, shown out of 100. Its state test results run above the District 19 average.
- What grades does P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento serve?
- P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento?
- P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento admits by zone — children who live in its attendance zone get a guaranteed seat.
- Is P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento public, charter, or private?
- P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento is a public school in NYC Community School District 19.
- What neighborhood is P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento in?
- P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento is in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn.