P.S. 204 Vince Lombardi

Test scores here hover just above the district average — 67.2% ELA versus 66.2% district-wide, and 72.7% math versus 71.2% district-wide. That's solid but not exceptional. The bigger story is the trajectory: scores peaked in 2018 at 71% ELA and 77% math, dipped during the pandemic, and have been climbing back since 2022. The 2025 numbers show a full recovery to pre-pandemic math levels, though ELA still trails that 2018 high-water mark. Fifth graders perform strongest in reading (70.9%), while math is consistent across grades 3-5 around 73%.

The survey data here is remarkable — 97% of parents trust the principal, 97% trust teachers, and 94% are satisfied with the school. Teachers are equally bullish: 100% feel safe, 97% say instruction quality is strong, and 96% trust the principal. That's the kind of numbers you see in schools with strong, stable leadership. Attendance is basically flat with the district average at 94.6%, but chronic absenteeism is high at 84.3% — meaning 16% of students missed a month or more of school. Interestingly, chronic absenteeism varies significantly by group: Asian families have the highest attendance (92.1% of Asian students are chronically present), while Hispanic families have the lowest (69.8% chronically present). Suspensions are nearly nonexistent — just one suspension last year out of over 1,000 students.

With 1,046 students, this is a medium-sized elementary school in a neighborhood that's 58% Asian, 21% White, and 20% Hispanic — the school's demographics mirror this closely. About 21% of students are White, 20% Hispanic, 1% Black, and 58% Asian. The economic need index of 65 indicates moderate-to-high need, with 17% of students receiving special education services. PTA fundraising blows the district average out of the water: $103 per student versus a district average of $61 — that's nearly $107,000 total, reflecting deep parent investment.

Bensonhurst is a working-to-middle-class Brooklyn neighborhood known for its family density (89th percentile) and strong education orientation (58th percentile). Median home values are over $1 million, though median household income is a modest $65,000 — reflecting the reality of many NYC families stretching to afford homeownership. The neighborhood scores low on safety (40th percentile) and transit access (46th percentile), which matters for commuting families. There's a high percentage of households with children (20.7%), and the area has a settled, stable feel despite low stability scores.

Bensonhurst is generally walkable, with families often walking or biking to school. However, transit access is below average for NYC — many families rely on cars, and the area can feel somewhat isolated from the subway lines that serve other parts of Brooklyn.