At a Glance
A Coney Island coastal studies high school where 95% parent-principal trust and zero suspensions set a notably calm tone
Best suited for
Families drawn to a coastal-and-environmental academic theme who want a calm, low-suspension culture and strong parent-school trust, and who can handle a longer commute from central or northern Brooklyn.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of 4-year graduation, English Regents college-ready and Regents completion · DOE 2025 report
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- A coastal studies identity backed by New York Aquarium internship partnerships, giving students unusual access to marine-science work experience
- Zero suspensions against a district average of 0.5% — an exceptionally calm disciplinary climate
- Parent-principal trust at 95%, one of the strongest signals in this dataset
- A 100/100 program richness score reflecting broad AP, STEM, arts, athletic, and ELL offerings
- Uncommon high-school sports like rugby, bowling, handball, and wrestling alongside the usual lineup
Things to consider
- The family survey response rate is only 20%, so the parent-trust numbers should be read with some caution
- Parents who weigh state-test results should confirm directly with the school
- Most District 21 peers listed are middle or elementary schools, which limits direct ranking from this dataset
- Coney Island is far south in Brooklyn — commutes from central or northern Brooklyn can be long
- Only 90 seats per entering class against 261 applicants means admission isn't a given
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 21
District 21 in southern Brooklyn includes some of the borough's strongest schools — Success Academy Bensonhurst, Brooklyn School of Inquiry, and Mark Twain top the peer list. Rachel Carson is a solidly competitive public high school by admissions demand, sitting clearly above the district floor without reaching the very top tier.
Academics
AP courses, a STEM track, ELL support, and world languages anchor the program, and a 100/100 program richness score reflects the breadth. The strongest reputation signal in the data is admissions demand: 261 applicants for 90 seats, a 33.3% offer rate. District 21 schools average 60% ELA and 63% math proficiency across the district, making this a competitive setting where families clearly value what Rachel Carson offers.
Culture
Survey responses run warmer than the district average on parent-side trust: parent-principal trust is 95%, parent-teacher trust 93%, and teacher collegial trust 92%. The discipline story is the headline — zero suspensions against a district average of 0.5% — a clear signal of a calm, well-run building. Teacher-rated instruction quality sits at 92%, just below the district average of 93%, suggesting strong but not standout pedagogy.
Community
Rachel Carson's student body looks different from typical Brooklyn schools: 49% White, 21% Hispanic, 17% Asian, and 10% Black, with an economic need index of 79.1 indicating significant family economic need. IEP enrollment of 16% and dedicated ELL support suggest a real range of learners served. The surrounding Coney Island neighborhood tells a parallel economic story — 27.8% poverty alongside a median home value near $887,000 points to long-time homeowners alongside renters and newcomers.
Neighborhood
The Coney Island–Sea Gate area around the school is a coastal pocket of southern Brooklyn with a distinctive economic split — below-median household incomes of $43,818 sit alongside a median home value approaching $887,000, hinting at long-held housing in a competitive market. Just 10.3% of households have children and 35.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, giving the area an established-but-aging residential feel. With 28.6% homeownership, the neighborhood leans heavily rental, common for outer-borough coastal areas.
Three subway options serve the school: the F at Neptune Avenue is about a 4-minute walk, the Q at Ocean Parkway roughly 10 minutes, and the F at Avenue X around 11 minutes.
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 119 families responded (20% rate)
Programs & Activities
Admissions Demand
Marine and Environmental Sciences, Science Research, Marine Robotics-Sea Perch and MATE, and First Robotics.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
High school (9th grade)
High school is one citywide application, made in 8th grade. Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies admits through one program, and each one has its own admissions method:
- Rachel Carson High School for Coastal StudiesEd. Opt.
High school application
- Opened
- Tue, Oct 6
- Closes
- Fri, Dec 4
- Offers
- Wed, Mar 3
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the high school application, in 8th grade.
- 2Educational Option programs fill in equal shares across three reading levels, half by the school's ranking and half by lottery.
- 3Rank programs in true preference order — the match places your child in the highest-ranked one that offers a seat.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies a good school?
- On Motley, Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies earns an overall rating of 65/100 — the average of the school's four-year graduation rate, the share of its students scoring college-ready (70+) on the English Regents, and its Regents completion rate, shown out of 100.
- What grades does Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies serve?
- Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies?
- Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies uses the Educational Option (Ed-Opt) method, ranking applicants across performance levels so seats go to a mix of abilities.
- Is Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies public, charter, or private?
- Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies is a public school in NYC Community School District 21.
- What neighborhood is Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies in?
- Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies is in Coney Island-Sea Gate, Brooklyn.