YABC Programs - Brooklyn and Queens

Specific ELA and math proficiency scores for this program aren't reflected in the data provided, so we can't benchmark achievement against the District 18 averages of about 58% ELA and 61% math. What's clear from the numbers is that this site serves a large share of students with IEPs (24%) and a high economic-need index (82), which speaks to a population that typically needs significant support services on top of standard instruction. The average class size of about 22 students is right at the district norm.

Zero suspensions reported across the entire enrollment is striking — well below the district suspension rate of about 1% — and points to either genuinely strong behavior management practices or a programming model where traditional discipline isn't the primary lever. With roughly 1,000 students in a single site, the day-to-day feel is likely structured, large-school-like, and dependent on clear systems. IEP enrollment of 24% suggests robust special-education staffing as part of the climate.

The student body is majority students of color and closely tracks the multicultural makeup of the surrounding Canarsie neighborhood — Hispanic families are the largest group at 41%, followed by Black families at 35%, Asian at 13%, and White at 9%. One in four students has an IEP, well above typical citywide rates, and the 82% economic-need index indicates a community that largely relies on the school for stability and services.

Canarsie is a predominantly Caribbean-American and African-American neighborhood with a strong middle-class character — the median household income here is about $82,000, and half of residents own their homes. The poverty rate of 13% is moderate, and about 15% of households have children, reflecting an aging-on-the-margin family demographic. About 29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is below the citywide average but consistent with outer-borough patterns.

There are no subway stations within a 20-minute walk of the school, so families almost certainly arrive by bus, school bus, or car. Drop-off and pickup logistics are worth thinking through in advance.