P.S. 128 Bensonhurst

Test scores here have been a rollercoaster — starting at 22.6% ELA in 2016, dipping during the pandemic, then surging to 46.2% in 2025. Math followed a similar path, ending at 47.5%. That 2025 jump is the biggest single-year improvement in the school's recent history, which is genuinely encouraging. However, both scores still fall well below District 21 averages (60% ELA, 63% math), placing this school among the lower-performing options in a district with several high-performing charters and screened programs. The grade-level breakdown shows Grade 5 performing strongest in ELA (49.1%), while Grade 4 leads in Math (50.9%).

This is where P.S. 128 actually shines. Teachers give 100% on school safety — not 96%, not 92%, but a perfect score. Parent satisfaction sits at 93%, with parent-teacher trust at 95% and parent-principal trust at an remarkable 96%. Teacher instruction quality scores 96%. The school has logged zero suspensions for three consecutive years. But there's a catch: chronic absenteeism is alarmingly high at 73%, with Asian students missing the most (78.9%) followed by white students (74.3%). This suggests the school has strong cultural climate when kids are present, but something is keeping nearly three-quarters of students chronically absent.

The student body mirrors Bensonhurst itself — a working-to-middle-class neighborhood with strong Asian and Italian-American roots. At 44% white and 31% Asian with 23% Hispanic, it's more diverse than the neighborhood's reputation might suggest. The economic need index of 78.7% is notably high, meaning most families qualify for free or reduced lunch. Yet the school has only 17% IEP students, which is relatively low. PTA fundraising of $55 per student is below the district average of $79, suggesting less discretionary spending power among families despite the relatively stable neighborhood income of $65,272.

Bensonhurst scores high on family density (89th percentile) but low on safety (40.6) and stability (20.3). It's a classic Brooklyn working-class-to-middle-class pocket where immigrants and second-generation families mix. Median home values over $1 million suggest the neighborhood is gentrifying, but 32% homeownership means most families rent. Transit options are moderate (45.98 score), and the education orientation of 58% indicates this is a place where families care about schools but may not have easy access to the city's top-performing options. The neighborhood has elevated lead rates (17.2%) and asthma rates (104 per 10,000) that parents should be aware of.

This is a walkable, driveable neighborhood — families mostly get here on foot or by car. The 84th Street commercial corridor is within reach, but public transit options are average for Brooklyn.