At a Glance
A predominantly Hispanic zoned elementary in East Bushwick where parents report strong trust but test scores lag the district
Best suited for
Spanish-speaking or bilingual families in the East Bushwick zoned area who value strong parent-school relationships and are prepared to prioritize daily attendance as a family commitment.
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
- Math proficiency has nearly doubled since 2022, the strongest improvement signal in the data
- Parent-teacher and parent-principal trust both at 96%, well above typical — families who are engaged feel genuine partnership
- Two nearby subway lines (M and L) within a 6-minute walk, making this one of the better-connected zoned schools in the area
- Discipline is minimal — a 1% suspension rate in a high-need school reflects a restorative rather than punitive culture
- 94% parent satisfaction suggests the school's communication and relationships are landing with families even when test scores lag
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism at 70.7% is the single biggest factor working against academic growth here — even strong teaching can't fully compensate for missed days
- ELA proficiency at 21.5% means most students are not reading at grade level; families prioritizing strong literacy instruction should weigh this carefully
- PTA fundraising totals just $4 per student, far below the district's $17 average — limited budget for enrichment, trips, or extras compared to better-resourced schools
- Overall school quality score of 1.1 out of 4 places P.S. 116 well below the district average and far behind peer schools like P.S. 376 (80/100) or the local Success Academy charter
- The student body is very homogeneous (94% Hispanic), which can be a strength for cultural connection but limits the diversity some families look for
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 32
Within District 32, P.S. 116 sits below the district average on both proficiency measures and overall score, and well behind the higher-rated peer schools like P.S. 376 and the local charter networks. It is not a standout in the district by traditional metrics, but its math trajectory and strong trust scores set it apart from similarly-scoring schools.
Academics
ELA proficiency at 21.5% is less than half the district average of about 46%, and math at 33.6% also trails the district's 43%. But the trend matters here: math has climbed from 17.8% in 2022 to 33.6% in 2025, nearly doubling in three years. ELA is bumpier — it peaked at 29% in 2018, cratered to 14.8% in 2022, and has been slowly climbing back, with 4th-grade math a bright spot at 50% proficiency. The school is catching up on math; reading recovery is real but incomplete.
Culture
Chronic absenteeism is the headline concern at 70.7% — more than two-thirds of students miss enough school to flag as chronically absent. The 92% daily attendance rate is just above the district average, but the chronic figure points to deeper patterns of intermittent attendance. On the upside, parent satisfaction is 94% (above district), parent-teacher trust is 96%, and teacher-reported safety is 97%. Discipline is minimal: two suspensions last year, a 1% rate that matches the district. The picture is a school where families who are engaged feel heard, but where getting kids in the building consistently is the central challenge.
Community
Students are 94% Hispanic, 3% Black, 1% Asian, 1% White — a much more homogeneous population than the citywide average, reflecting the surrounding neighborhood. The economic need index of 88.3% means nearly nine in ten students qualify as economically disadvantaged. About 16% of students have IEPs, in line with city norms. The school's diversity index of 16% is low — this is a school serving one community rather than mixing many.
Neighborhood
East Bushwick is a working-class, predominantly Hispanic neighborhood with a median household income of about $67,000 and a poverty rate near 24%. Just 11.5% of households here have children, meaning the area skews more toward adults and renters than young families — homeownership is only 20.5%. About a third of adult residents hold a bachelor's degree. The community has deep roots and a strong cultural identity, even as higher home values reflect the broader Brooklyn market.
Transit is a real asset: the M at Knickerbocker Avenue is about a 4-minute walk, the M at Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues is 5 minutes, and the L at Myrtle-Wyckoff is about 6 minutes away.
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) · 286 families responded (97% 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. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell 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. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell a good school?
- On Motley, P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell earns an overall rating of 28/100 — 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 below the District 32 average.
- What grades does P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell serve?
- P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell?
- P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell admits by zone — children who live in its attendance zone get a guaranteed seat.
- Is P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell public, charter, or private?
- P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell is a public school in NYC Community School District 32.
- What neighborhood is P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell in?
- P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell is in Bushwick (East), Brooklyn.