P.S. 135 Sheldon A. Brookner

ELA proficiency at 51.2% sits roughly seven points below the District 18 average of 58.4%, and math proficiency at 57.3% is about four points below the district's 61.4%. Both subjects have improved substantially over the past decade — math proficiency has more than doubled from 26.4% in 2016 to 57.3% in 2025, and ELA has climbed from 32.7% to 51.2%. Third-graders are the clear bright spot, hitting 60% in ELA and 74.3% in math, while fourth-grade scores dip notably before recovering somewhat in fifth grade. The trend is genuinely improving rather than flat.

There's a real split here worth naming. On the trust and safety side, the numbers are excellent: 99% of teachers say the school is safe (well above the district's 96%), parent-principal trust is 96%, parent-teacher trust is 95%, and the school recorded zero suspensions in 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24. On the other hand, chronic absenteeism is 64.5% — meaning nearly two-thirds of students miss enough school days to be flagged — and teacher-rated instruction quality sits at 82% versus the district's 89.8%. The day-to-day feel is warm and orderly, but a lot of children are physically not in the building on any given day, which limits how much progress teachers can make.

The student body is 78% Black, 10% White, 8% Hispanic, with smaller Asian, multiracial, and Native American shares — a reflection of the surrounding East Flatbush-Rugby neighborhood, which has long been a hub for Caribbean-American families alongside a growing mix of other residents. The economic need index of 74.2 indicates a high share of students from lower-income households, consistent with a neighborhood median household income around $71,300 and a poverty rate near 13%. About 14% of students have IEPs, and the diversity index of 45% reflects a school that is predominantly Black rather than broadly mixed.

East Flatbush-Rugby is a predominantly Caribbean-American residential pocket of central Brooklyn where most households own or rent their homes, about 12% of households have children under 18, and roughly a quarter of adults hold a bachelor's degree. Median home values sit near $669,000, suggesting a stable middle-class homeowner base alongside renters. The neighborhood is residential and family-oriented rather than transit-dense, and most families who choose this school live within its walk zone.

Subway access is a real consideration — the Sutter Av-Rutland Rd stop on the 3 line is about a 20-minute walk, and Church Av on the 2 and 5 lines is about an 18-minute walk, so most families will rely on a car, school bus, or a longer walk rather than a quick subway commute.