P.S. 139 Alexine A. Fenty

Proficiency rates at P.S. 139 have nearly doubled since 2019, jumping from the mid-30s to 59.3% in ELA and 56% in math in 2025 — an unusually steep climb. That puts the school just slightly below the district averages of about 61% ELA and 60% math, which is essentially in the middle of District 22 rather than at the back. Fourth graders are the strongest cohort (63.7% ELA, 65.6% math), while fifth-grade math dips to 47.3%, suggesting some attrition in skills as students get older. The overall quality review score of 2.31 out of 4 sits a notch below the district average of 2.43, but the trajectory tells a more optimistic story than the static score.

The day-to-day feel is mixed but leaning positive. Parents are unusually enthusiastic — 92% satisfaction, 95% trust in teachers, and a perfect 100% say the school builds strong relationships — and there were zero suspensions in 2023-24. But teacher-side numbers tell a more cautious story: only 77% rate instruction quality highly (district average is about 90%), just 62% trust the principal, and teacher-reported safety of 88% trails the district's 96%. Attendance at 92.5% is healthy, though chronic absenteeism at 75% is a red flag — and notably, white and multiracial students here miss more school (86.8% chronically absent) than their Black and Hispanic classmates.

P.S. 139 reflects central Brooklyn in microcosm: 42% Hispanic, 20% Black, 17% White, 15% Asian, and 6% multiracial students, with a diversity index of 83%. About 68% of students qualify for economic need, which is higher than the median-income neighborhood might suggest — Ditmas Park has college-educated professionals alongside working-class immigrant households. The PTA raised more than $180,000 last year, or roughly $235 per student, more than four times the district average, signaling organized, invested families who supplement what the school budget provides.

The school sits in Flatbush (West)–Ditmas Park–Parkville, a neighborhood where median household income is about $87,000 and 45% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher. About one in five households include children, and the area leans heavily renter (34% homeownership), with a median home value over $1 million reflecting demand for this central-Brooklyn pocket. Families here are a mix of Caribbean and Latino immigrant households, young professionals, and long-time residents, which is essentially what shows up in the school roster.

Most families walk to school. The Cortelyou Rd Q stop is about a three-minute walk, Beverley Rd on the Q is five minutes, and Newkirk Plaza on the B and Q lines is around ten minutes away.