P.S. 78

Test scores at P.S. 78 are significantly below the Staten Island district average — 29.8% ELA and 28.4% math versus the district's 61% in both subjects. However, context matters: the school has more than doubled its scores since the COVID disruption year of 2022 (when only 11% passed ELA and math). The 2025 results represent the highest performance in the school's recent history, suggesting sustained recovery. Grade-level data shows Grade 5 performing strongest in math (45.7%) while Grade 4 struggles most (11.8% math), indicating uneven progress across grades.

Here's where P.S. 78 tells a complicated story. Parents absolutely love this school — 95% satisfaction, 96% trust in teachers and principal, and 100% report strong relationships. Teachers echo that sentiment: 97% say instruction quality is strong, 94% trust their colleagues, and 93% trust leadership. The exception is teacher-reported safety at 61% — far below the district average of 95%. This is worth watching. Discipline is excellent: just one suspension last year, down from 4 the prior year. The school is clearly doing something right on relationship-building, but there's a disconnect between the warm survey numbers and how safe teachers feel in the building.

P.S. 78 is a high-need school in every sense: 94% economic need index, 37% of students have IEPs. The student body is 47% Hispanic, 41% Black, 5% Asian, and 4% White — making it significantly more diverse than much of Staten Island. The diversity index of 62% reflects this. The neighborhood matches the school's demographics closely, with a poverty rate of 26%, lower homeownership (34%), and a median household income of $52,653 — well below citywide averages. This is a community that needs its public schools to work, and the strong family satisfaction scores suggest parents feel the school is a partner.

Tompkinsville-Stapleton-Clifton-Fox Hills is a densely populated, transit-accessible part of Staten Island's North Shore. The neighborhood scores well on transit (72 percentile) and stability (72 percentile), but safety scores are low (38 percentile) — a real factor for families considering the area. The poverty rate of 26% and low homeownership (34%) indicate a working-class community. There's a 27.5% BA+ education rate among adults, meaning many parents may not have college degrees themselves. Median home values are $628K, reflecting Staten Island's overall housing costs despite moderate household incomes.

The neighborhood is walkable and transit-connected by Staten Island standards, with bus service and the Staten Island Railway nearby. However, given the safety concerns (low safety percentile), families may prefer to walk with children rather than let older kids walk alone.