P.S./ I.S. 155 Nicholas Herkimer

Test scores at Nicholas Herkimer have come a long way since 2016, when just 14% of students were proficient in ELA and 16% in math — those numbers now sit at 36% and 35% respectively, though both remain well below the district 23 averages of 52% and 51%. The story gets more nuanced when you look at grade-level data: third graders are performing at 72% ELA and 77% math proficiency, which is strong, but those gains don't hold as students move up — fourth and fifth grade scores drop significantly, and middle school performance is inconsistent. Science proficiency at 23.5% also signals that STEM instruction may need attention. The overall 1.43/4 score reflects these gaps, sitting below the district average of 2.06.

Here's where the data tells a more hopeful story. Teachers rate instruction quality at 100%, and both teacher-principal trust and teacher collegial trust hit 94% — these are exceptional numbers that suggest strong professional culture and respected leadership. Parents feel similarly: 92% trust between families and teachers, 93% trust in the principal, and 94% report strong relationships. The catch is in attendance — chronic absenteeism sits at 47.2%, nearly half the student body missing significant school time, which absolutely impacts learning. Teacher-reported safety (83%) is below the district average of 90%, so while the building isn't unsafe, there's room to improve the sense of security. Suspensions have crept up slightly from 3 to 5 over three years, but remain low at 2%.

The student body is 44% Black and 51% Hispanic, reflecting the Ocean Hill neighborhood's predominantly African American and Latino communities. Nearly all students (89%) come from economically needy households, and 21% have IEPs — a higher-than-average special education population. With only 315 students total and an average class size of 19.7 (right at the district average), this is a small school where teachers can know every child. The diversity index of 49% is moderate, and the school offers ELL support for multilingual learners.

Ocean Hill is a neighborhood in central Brooklyn with strong community identity and significant economic challenges. The median household income of $57,870 and poverty rate of 26.6% tell the story of a working-class area where families are making ends meet. With only 20.7% homeownership, most families rent, and the low BA+ education rate (24.2%) reflects limited college-degree attainment in the adult population. Transit access is excellent (83rd percentile), making commutes manageable, but safety scores are low (14.56 percentile) — this is a neighborhood where parents weigh transit convenience against concerns about street safety. The low stability score (12.64) and elevated health concerns (asthma rates, lead exposure) add context about daily life here.

Students walk to school from the surrounding blocks in this residential neighborhood, and the high transit score means many families use buses or trains for longer commutes.