Success Academy Charter School - Flatbush

The test scores at Success Academy Flatbush are exceptional by any measure — 91.7% math proficiency and 82.5% ELA both sit far above District 17 averages (57% and 61%). But the trajectory matters as much as the current numbers. After a pandemic-era dip to 59.7% ELA in 2022, the school has clawed back strongly, with math recovering to pre-pandemic levels and ELA now exceeding them. Grade 3 scores (83.8% ELA, 94.6% math) suggest early literacy and numeracy foundations are solid. The overall 3.48/4 rating significantly outpaces the district average of 2.36. This is a school where academic expectations are clearly non-negotiable.

The climate data reveals tension. Attendance sits at 91.2% — essentially flat with the district average — but chronic absenteeism is a stark 67.7%, meaning a majority of students are missing significant school time despite being counted as 'present' in daily averages. Survey data shows parent-teacher trust at 67% and parent-principal trust at 61%, both moderate. The 1% family survey response rate (just 6 responses) makes the 56% parent satisfaction figure difficult to interpret — it may reflect a disengaged majority or a vocal minority. What isn't in dispute: this is a structured, results-oriented environment. Teacher instruction quality is strong at 89.1% per district averages. Families should know the discipline philosophy is firm and consistent — part of what drives the academic results, and part of what some families push back on.

This is a predominantly Black school (85%) in a neighborhood that is also majority Black with significant Caribbean heritage. The diversity index of 34% reflects this homogeneity, though the student body includes Hispanic (8%), White (3%), and small Asian and Multi-Racial populations. With 75.1% economic need and 13% IEP students, the school serves a population that faces real structural challenges outside school walls. The average class size of 22 mirrors the district average, so class sizes aren't a differentiator here — what differs is the academic intensity inside those classrooms.

East Flatbush-Erasmus is a transit-connected, family-heavy Brooklyn neighborhood with a median home value of $710,000 and a homeownership rate of just 17.4% — meaning most families here are renters. The poverty rate (15.8%) and median income ($71,675) place this squarely in working/middle-class territory. Safety scores are low (10.73 percentile), which is a real factor for families considering the area. Transit access is strong (71st percentile), and the family density (76th percentile) means lots of kids in the neighborhood, which can mean built-in play networks but also crowded conditions. Education orientation scores lower (39th percentile), suggesting this isn't a neighborhood defined by school choice anxiety — families here are more price-driven than prestige-driven when it comes to housing.

Transit access is strong in this part of East Flatbush, and the neighborhood is walkable for families who live nearby. However, families commuting from outside the immediate area will likely rely on bus or car — the school draws from across the district given its charter lottery.