P.S. 198 Brooklyn

Test scores at P.S. 198 tell a striking story of recovery. The school now sits at 62.9% ELA proficiency — slightly above the district average of 61% — and 59.6% in math, nearly matching the district average of 60.5%. This is a massive jump from 2019, when only 29% of students were proficient in ELA. Math scores have climbed from the mid-20s in 2016 to nearly 60% today. Grade-level data shows strong performance across the board: Grade 4 leads in ELA at 67.9%, and Grade 3 tops math at 65.9%. The school earns a 2.45 overall score, essentially tied with the district average of 2.43. For a school where three-quarters of students face economic hardship, these gains represent genuine progress.

This is where P.S. 198 truly shines in the data. Teachers give perfect scores (100%) for instruction quality, safety, trust in leadership, and collegial relationships. Parents mirror that confidence: 94% are satisfied, and 96% trust both teachers and the principal. The school reports just one suspension last year (suspension rate effectively 0%), and 100% of families surveyed say strong relationships define the school community. That said, chronic absenteeism is a real challenge at 59.9% — nearly 60% of students missed too many days, which could explain why scores jumped so dramatically in 2025 even as attendance lagged. The school has work to do getting kids to show up consistently, but the relational culture appears strong.

P.S. 198 serves a nearly all-minority student body: 82% Black, 12% Hispanic, with small Asian (3%) and white (1%) populations. This mirrors the East Flatbush neighborhood, which is predominantly Caribbean-American and African-American. With 73.4% economic need index and 23% IEP students, the population has significant support needs. Yet the community engagement is unusually strong — 128 families completed surveys (43% response rate), which is high for elementary schools, and families consistently highlight relationships as a school strength.

East Flatbush-Farragut is a predominantly residential Brooklyn neighborhood with strong Caribbean roots — think Jamaican, Haitian, and Trinidadian influence in the food, culture, and community gatherings. The area has moderate transit access (56th percentile) and a homeownership rate of nearly 48%, giving it more stability than transient neighborhoods. Families with children make up 14.6% of households. The neighborhood scores lower on safety (34th percentile), and parents should know the area has elevated lead exposure rates (22%) and asthma-related ER visits that are notably higher than city averages — worth considering for families with children who have respiratory concerns.

The neighborhood is walkable with good street visibility during daytime hours, though parents often walk children to school given the young grade range. Many families live within the zone and can walk, while others drive from nearby blocks.