P.S. 137 Rachel Jean Mitchell

Math is the headline here. After years of single-digit and low-20s proficiency rates, math scores jumped from 22.2% in 2019 to 53.1% in 2023 and have held above 50% since — now beating the district average of 50.5%. That's a remarkable turnaround for a small school. ELA has been more of a roller coaster, hovering in the 23–33% range for years before climbing to 40.5% in 2025, though it still trails the district average of 52.2%. The overall DOE quality score of 1.89 out of 4 sits below the district average of 2.06, reflecting the heavy weighting given to ELA and other measures beyond math. Grade 5 math proficiency is reported at 53.3%, consistent with the school's broader math gains.

Families clearly love this school. Parent satisfaction is 89%, parent-teacher trust is 94%, parent-principal trust is 94%, and 88% report strong relationships — all signals that the front-door experience is warm and the principal is accessible. The disconnect is on instructional quality, which teachers rated at just 56.4%, well below the district average of 89.4%. That said, only one teacher responded to the survey, so the teacher voice here is essentially a single perspective and shouldn't be read as a schoolwide verdict. Zero suspensions over the past two years (with only three in 2022-23) is a genuinely strong signal of a calm environment. The real climate issue is attendance: the 88.2% attendance rate is barely below the district average, but the 52.8% chronic absenteeism rate means more than half of students are missing significant instructional time — the single biggest drag on academic outcomes here. Female students are absent at notably higher rates (57.4%) than male students (47.4%).

This is a predominantly Black and Hispanic student body (66% Black, 21% Hispanic), with smaller shares of White (8%), multiracial (3%), and Native American (2%) students, and no Asian students reported. The diversity index is 55%, meaning students here are less likely to encounter classmates from many different racial and ethnic backgrounds than at a typical NYC school. Nearly one in five students has an Individualized Education Program (19%). The economic need index of 82.4% means roughly four out of five students qualify as economically disadvantaged — among the highest in the district.

Ocean Hill is a working-class, renter-heavy pocket of central Brooklyn. Median household income is $57,870 and the poverty rate is 26.6%, with only 11.5% of households including children under 18 — a relatively low share that reflects the neighborhood's mix of long-time families, multi-generational homes, and adult-only households. About a quarter of adults (24.2%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, and homeownership is low (20.7%), which is typical for this part of Brooklyn. The blocks around the school are largely residential and family-oriented, and the school draws from a tight catchment area.

Three subway options are within walking distance: the Halsey St station on the J line (about 6 minutes), Ralph Av on the C line (about 7 minutes), and Rockaway Av on the C line (about 8 minutes). For families commuting from Manhattan or other boroughs, the J and C lines connect directly.