Red Hook Neighborhood School

Test scores here have improved dramatically but still sit below District 15 averages — ELA at 55.8% versus the district's 65.5%, math at 57.4% versus 63.3%. The school's overall quality score of 2.26/4 also trails the district average of 2.58. However, the trajectory tells a powerful story: math proficiency jumped from just 7.6% in 2016 to 57.4% in 2025, while ELA climbed from 3.8% to 55.8%. Grade-level data shows particularly strong eighth-grade ELA performance at 78.1%, suggesting the school's improvement strategies are particularly effective for older students.

The survey data here is remarkably strong — 91% parent satisfaction, 96% parent-teacher trust, and 91% rating instruction quality as good or rigorous. Teachers report 85% trust in the principal and 88% trust in colleagues. Attendance sits at 92.4%, just below the district average, but chronic absenteeism is a concerning 74.6% — meaning nearly three-quarters of students missed significant school time. Discipline is a clear bright spot: zero suspensions for three years running, a rare record in any middle school. The day-to-day feel appears collaborative and trusting, though the small teacher survey sample (19 responses) means these results should be interpreted with some caution.

This is a small school with a predominantly Black and Hispanic student body — 57% Black, 33% Hispanic, 6% White, 2% Native American. Notably, 44% of students have IEPs, a very high proportion indicating significant special education population. The diversity index of 55% reflects moderate demographic diversity. The school serves grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of just 96 students, meaning class sizes of 25 are actually relatively large given the tiny total population. PTA fundraising is minimal at $46 per student compared to a district average of $491, suggesting fewer extracurricular resources funded by families.

This school sits in the Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill-Gowanus-Red Hook area, one of Brooklyn's most affluent and family-oriented neighborhoods. Median household income reaches nearly $140K, only 13.5% of households live in poverty, and 67.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The neighborhood scores very high on family density (85.82) and education orientation (87.36), meaning families here prioritize schools. Safety scores are about average (50.57), transit access is below average (41.76), and the area has notable environmental health concerns including elevated asthma rates and lead exposure risks. Red Hook itself has seen significant development in recent years but retains its industrial heritage and community feel.

Red Hook is somewhat isolated from the rest of Brooklyn transit-wise, and the neighborhood scores below average on transit access. Many families likely drive or use the limited bus options, though the area is walkable once you're there.