At a Glance
A diverse K-5 in Dongan Hills where math scores have nearly doubled over a decade
Best suited for
Families rooted in the Dongan Hills or Grasmere area who want a stable, calm, and academically solid zoned school — especially those who don't rely on subway commuting and value a diverse community over flashy extras.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of NY State ELA + math proficiency, grades 3–8
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- Math proficiency has nearly doubled since 2016, reaching 78% — well above the district average of 61%
- Zero suspensions for three consecutive years, paired with 100% teacher-reported safety
- A genuinely diverse student body in a neighborhood that skews more homogeneous, with 25% Asian enrollment and a 75% diversity index
- 23% of students have IEPs, reflecting a meaningful inclusion culture
- A stable middle-class setting with 63% neighborhood homeownership and a modest 10% poverty rate
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism runs high at 70.8% — a real issue here even with strong teaching and a calm climate
- Asian students show the highest absenteeism rate (83.6%), worth asking the school about directly
- ELA proficiency has been inconsistent for years before this year's jump; the upward move is encouraging but recent
- PTA fundraising at $55 per student is well below the district's $141 average — extracurriculars and enrichment may be more modest
- The nearest subway stop is a 17-minute walk, making this a car- or bus-dependent commute for most families
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 31
P.S. 39 sits comfortably above the District 31 average across academics, safety, and overall score, though it trails the district's top peer schools like P.S. 35 and Naples Street. It's a strong-but-not-elite zoned option in a district where the leading schools set a high bar.
Academics
Math is the headline here — at 78%, P.S. 39 sits well above the District 31 average of 61%, and the trajectory has been strikingly steep, from 35% in 2016 to 78% in 2025. ELA has been bumpier, hovering in the high 40s to low 50s for most of the past decade before jumping to 62% last year — just above the district average of 61%. By grade 5, math proficiency reaches 85%, suggesting the gains compound as students move up.
Culture
Despite a 91.6% attendance rate that matches the district average, chronic absenteeism is striking at 70.8% — meaning most students miss at least 10% of the school year, with Asian students showing the highest rate (83.6%) and female students notably higher than male peers. On the upside, the climate reads as exceptionally calm: zero suspensions for three straight years, 100% of teachers reporting the building feels safe, and 100% rating instruction quality positively. Parent satisfaction sits at 90%, just below the district's 93% average, with parent-principal trust at 87%.
Community
The school body reflects the neighborhood's mixed character — 39% white, 26% Hispanic, 25% Asian, and 8% Black — with a 75% diversity index that exceeds what you might expect in this homeowner-heavy part of Staten Island. About 23% of students have IEPs, somewhat higher than city norms and reflecting a meaningful inclusion culture. The economic need index of 66% points to a working- and middle-class mix, and the $55 per-student PTA fundraising — well below the district's $141 average — hints at a community that engages differently than wealthier peers.
Neighborhood
Grasmere-Arrochar-South Beach-Dongan Hills is one of Staten Island's more established residential pockets, with 63% homeownership and a median home value of $651,395 — well above borough norms. Median household income sits at $81,734 with a 10% poverty rate, and just under a third of adults hold a bachelor's degree. About 20% of households have kids at home, painting a picture of a stable, family-oriented community rather than a transient one.
Getting to P.S. 39 means planning for the Staten Island Railway — Grasmere (SIR) is about a 17-minute walk and Old Town (SIR) is roughly 18 minutes, so most families drive or use local bus service.
Academic Performance
ELA Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State ELA exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Math Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Math exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Historical Trends
The dashed line marks 2023, when New York changed its grades 3–8 state tests. Scores before and after it aren’t directly comparable.
2020–2021 data unavailable due to COVID-19
Source: NYC DOE School Quality Reports
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 212 families responded (44% rate)
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database (2023-24)
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
Kindergarten
P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr. has an attendance zone. At elementary level, in-zone students get a guaranteed seat. Every family still applies on MySchools: the application confirms the zoned seat, and ranking other schools doesn't cost you it.
Kindergarten application
- Opens
- Wed, Dec 9
- Closes
- Fri, Jan 22
- Offers
- Tue, Mar 30
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Check that your address is inside the zone — zones change, so confirm it before you sign a lease.
- 2Apply during the kindergarten application, even with a zoned seat.
- 3Rank this school along with any others you'd take, in true preference order.
Open houses and tours
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From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr. a good school?
- On Motley, P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr. earns an overall rating of 70/100 — the average of the school's New York State ELA and math proficiency, grades 3–8, shown out of 100. Its state test results run above the District 31 average.
- What grades does P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr. serve?
- P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr. serves grades K to 5.
- How do students get into P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr.?
- P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr. admits by zone — children who live in its attendance zone get a guaranteed seat.
- Is P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr. public, charter, or private?
- P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr. is a public school in NYC Community School District 31.
- What neighborhood is P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr. in?
- P.S. 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr. is in Grasmere-Arrochar-South Beach-Dongan Hills, Staten Island.