P.S. 216 Arturo Toscanini

P.S. 216 has carved out a strong academic position in District 21, with 65.4% ELA proficiency and 73.5% math proficiency — both above the district averages of 60% and 63.2% respectively. The school earned an overall score of 2.78 out of 4, surpassing the district average of 2.46. Looking at the historical trend, scores dipped during the pandemic (2022 saw 43.9% ELA) but have rebounded dramatically, with a particularly sharp jump in 2025 — math climbed from 62.7% to 73.5% and ELA from 50.7% to 65.4% in a single year. Fourth and fifth graders are performing strongest, with around 70% proficiency across both subjects.

The survey data tells a remarkably consistent story: this is a school where families feel heard and teachers feel supported. Parent satisfaction sits at 92%, and trust scores are exceptional — 97% parent-teacher trust and 98% parent-principal trust. Teachers report similarly high confidence, with 97% rating instruction quality positively, 98% trusting the principal, and 99% feeling safe. Every single parent surveyed (100%) reported strong relationships with teachers. The discipline record is spotless — zero suspensions for two consecutive years. However, chronic absenteeism is a serious concern at 69.7%, meaning roughly 7 out of 10 students missed significant school time. This disconnect between strong climate survey results and poor attendance suggests the school culture works well for those who attend regularly, but many families struggle to get kids to school consistently.

With 667 students across pre-K through 5th grade, P.S. 216 serves a demographically diverse population in a neighborhood that has seen significant change. The student body is 43% white, 29% Asian, 21% Hispanic, 4% Black, and 2% Native American — more racially diverse than the neighborhood itself (which is predominantly white and Asian). The diversity index of 71% reflects this mix. Economic need is notable at 69.7%, and 18% of students have IEPs. PTA fundraising of $72 per student is slightly below the district average of $78.56, indicating moderate but not extraordinary family fundraising involvement.

Gravesend is a working-to-middle-class neighborhood in southern Brooklyn with a mix of older Italian-American roots and newer immigrant communities, particularly from China and Eastern Europe. The neighborhood has a moderate safety score (57th percentile), solid transit access (53rd percentile), and an education orientation that scores 58th percentile — indicating families here value schools but it's not the most education-focused corner of the city. The median home value of $630,340 reflects the area's desirability for families, though only 37% of residents own homes. Notably, only 17.9% of households have children, suggesting this is more of a mixed-age neighborhood that happens to have an elementary school.

Given the moderate transit score and family density, most students likely walk or are driven to school; the neighborhood's layout supports neighborhood-level foot traffic but isn't particularly designed around school commutes