The Maurice Sendak Community School

With 77.8% ELA proficiency and 80.2% math proficiency, this school sits a full 12-17 percentage points above District 15 averages — clear outperformance, not noise. The historical trajectory is interesting: scores peaked in 2018 (90.5% ELA, 89.2% math), dipped sharply in 2019, and have settled into the mid-70s to mid-80s range since. That's not decline so much as a new normal below the school's high-water mark. By grade, third-graders lead the way at 84.6% ELA and 92.3% math, with proficiency tapering down to 72.2% and 69.4% by fifth grade — a fairly typical pattern where younger testers post the strongest results.

Families clearly love this school — 95% parent satisfaction, 98% parent-teacher trust, 97% parent-principal trust, and a 95% family survey response rate all signal deep engagement. Discipline is essentially a non-issue, with zero suspensions for three straight years and 100% teacher-reported safety. But the staff side tells a different story: teachers rate instruction quality at 73%, well below the district average of 89%, and only 54% report trusting the principal — even though 96% trust their colleagues. That gap between collegial trust and leadership trust is the headline tension here. One important caveat: only 18 teachers responded to the survey, so individual responses carry real weight.

About 60% of students are White, with Asian (12%), Hispanic (13%), Black (8%), and multiracial (7%) students making up the rest — a diversity index of 69%. The economic need index of 13.7 is low, meaning this is a relatively affluent student body, which fits the surrounding neighborhood: Park Slope's median household income is $191,270 with just 4.9% in poverty and 82.4% of adults holding a bachelor's degree. The school reflects its zoned population, drawing families from a well-resourced, college-educated Brooklyn neighborhood where 24% of households include children. Sixteen percent of students have IEPs, and the school serves self-contained special education seats.

Park Slope around the school is one of Brooklyn's most affluent, college-educated family neighborhoods — median household income north of $190,000, homeownership near 43%, and a median home value of about $1.6 million. About a quarter of households include children, and the poverty rate is under 5%. Families here tend to be professionally established, and the area has a long-standing reputation as a destination for parents prioritizing public schools and stroller-friendly streets.

Subway access is exceptional: the 4 Av-9 St stop on the R is about a one-minute walk, the F and G lines at the same station are about three minutes, and the R at Union Street is about a ten-minute walk.