PAVE Academy Charter School

PAVE's 69.1% ELA proficiency sits comfortably above the District 15 average of 65.5%, while its 57.1% math proficiency trails the district mark of 63.3%. The story here is trajectory: after bottoming out at 33.4% ELA and 27.2% math in 2022, the school has rebuilt rapidly, with the 2025 ELA score representing the highest in its eight-year history. Seventh grade is the standout, with 85.4% ELA proficiency and 73.5% math — both well above district norms — while eighth grade math (38.5%) is a clear weak spot that pulls down the overall math picture.

The day-to-day picture is mixed. Parent-facing measures are strong: 91% of families report being satisfied, and trust in teachers (93%) and the principal (92%) is high. But teacher-reported instruction quality sits at just 51.4%, far below the district's 89.1% average — a notable gap that suggests staff may feel stretched or under-resourced even as families feel heard. Chronic absenteeism at 57.7% is a serious flag, more than triple the rate that would typically raise concern, and overall attendance (90.1%) lags the district's 93.5%. Only 20% of families responded to the survey, so parent views come from a self-selected slice of the community.

PAVE's student body is 55% Hispanic and 39% Black, with very small Asian (1%) and White (3%) populations — a markedly different racial mix from the surrounding Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill neighborhood, which is majority White and skews affluent. The economic need index of 89 (out of 100) signals that nearly nine in ten students come from low-income households, even as the median household income in the surrounding census area tops $139,000. Twenty-five percent of students have IEPs, which is meaningfully higher than the citywide share and shapes classroom life.

The Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill-Gowanus-Red Hook area is one of Brooklyn's higher-income enclaves, with a median household income near $140,000, a 67.6% college-educated rate, and a median home value around $1.7 million. Just 13.5% of residents live below the poverty line and roughly one in five households include children. The school draws a student population that looks very different from its immediate surroundings, which is worth understanding for any family considering it.

Families reach PAVE via the F and G trains — Smith-9 Sts is about a 9-minute walk, Carroll St about 11 minutes, and 4 Av-9 St about 17 minutes away. None of these stations are right at the door, so most families will plan a few extra minutes for drop-off.