Van Siclen Community Middle School

Test scores have historically sat well below the district average — in 2019, only 17% of students scored proficient in ELA and 8.5% in math. But 2025 tells a different story: math jumped to 35.7% and ELA to 36.6%, cutting the gap with the district average roughly in half. That's a huge single-year improvement, especially in math, which climbed over 20 percentage points. Science proficiency sits at 33.3%. The overall quality score of 1.45/4 remains below the district average of 1.94, but the trajectory is heading in the right direction — particularly in grade 8, where math proficiency hit 48.2%.

The survey data tells a story of strong relationships between families and leadership: 100% of parents trust the principal, 98% trust teachers, and 96% are satisfied overall — numbers that put this school in rare territory. Teachers also report high trust in leadership (94%) and strong collegial bonds (93%). That said, chronic absenteeism is a serious concern at nearly 48%, far above the district average, and the 14% suspension rate is notably high. The suspension trend has fluctuated — 35 in 2022-23, down to 24 in 2023-24 — suggesting some movement on discipline practices. Teacher-reported instruction quality (82%) runs below the district average (88%), which may relate to the high economic needs and attendance challenges teachers are navigating daily.

This is a predominantly Black and Hispanic school in a neighborhood that mirrors those demographics: 66% Black students, 31% Hispanic, with essentially no white or Asian enrollment. The economic need index of 89.7% is extremely high — nearly every student qualifies for free or reduced lunch. About 27% of students have IEPs, indicating robust special education services. The diversity index is 43%, which is relatively low given the mostly two-racial makeup. This is a school serving a community with deep roots and significant need, and the demographics reflect that reality.

East New York is a neighborhood of working-class families trying to make it work. Median household income is $58,000, only 16% of adults have bachelor's degrees, and poverty rates hover around 23%. The neighborhood scores poorly on safety (31st percentile) and educational orientation (38th percentile), though transit access is decent (69th percentile) and family density is moderate (64th percentile). There's been recent development and shifting demographics, with home values climbing to around $605,000, but the area still faces the pressures you'd expect in a neighborhood with limited resources and high economic need. Families here are resilient — and the parent survey numbers suggest they see this school as a trustworthy anchor.

The neighborhood is residential and walkable for local families, though many students likely arrive by bus given the distance some travel from other parts of District 19. Public transit options exist but aren't as robust as in more central Brooklyn neighborhoods.