Black Families Deserve Good Schools—and Reasons for Hope

What Brooklyn’s public schools reveal about the options available now, and the questions parents should ask before choosing.

by Mia Howard

Nikole Hannah-Jones’s “In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own?” raises a question no parent should have to answer: How do we fight for the education every child deserves while protecting the opportunities of the child we are raising?

I have no interest in judging her family’s choices. Parents make consequential decisions with incomplete information, and children deserve to have their experiences taken seriously. We can respect both a mother’s commitment to educational justice and her daughter’s account of what those decisions meant for her.

For Black families reading this essay and wondering what is possible for their own children, there is reason for hope. New York City has tuition-free district and charter schools with open admissions pathways where Black students are demonstrating strong academic performance. Our Brooklyn research offers a beginning for finding them.

In our current sample, 67 schools published Black-student results at or above 50 percent in both English and mathematics in traditional terminal grades—5th grade for elementary, and 8th grade for middle school—as of the 2024-2025 school year. We also looked at Algebra I and ELA performance in high schools. The matched schools included 36 district schools and 31 charters. The list also contains mixed-admissions schools whose combined results require further scrutiny; but we wanted to present all schools with open enrollment pathways.

The individual examples are encouraging. At P.S. 11 in Clinton Hill, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached approximately 93 percent proficiency in English and 94 percent in math. At Brooklyn Landmark Elementary in Ocean Hill, the figures were approximately 90 percent in both subjects. At Success Academy Crown Heights, they were 99 percent in English and 100 percent in math.

Those results give families concrete places to investigate. They also remind us that a school serving predominantly Black children can be a place of substantial academic achievement.

Our analysis found promising results in schools serving substantial populations of students with disabilities, too. At P.S. 375 Jackie Robinson, approximately 40 percent of enrolled students had disabilities, while Black fifth-grade test-takers exceeded 50 percent proficiency in both subjects. That does not tell us how students with disabilities themselves performed. It does give us a reason to look closely at the school’s instruction and supports.

Spending deserves similar curiosity. In this selected sample, district schools’ median reported spending per pupil was considerably higher than charters’, yet spending and fifth-grade math proficiency had essentially no correlation. That finding cannot establish efficiency or explain what caused achievement. Families should ask what resources actually make possible: experienced teachers, specialized services, tutoring, manageable classes, arts and enrichment.

And test scores should begin the conversation, not settle it.

Parents deserve to know what the school feels like to the children inside it. Do Black students feel safe, respected and intellectually challenged? Do students with disabilities experience belonging and receive their services? What do culture and climate surveys reveal—and whose voices are missing from those surveys?

Teacher satisfaction and teacher quality matter, too. Do teachers feel supported enough to stay? What are their experience, preparation and subject expertise? How does leadership help them improve instruction? Credentials alone cannot answer those questions; classroom visits, staff retention and candid conversations add essential context.

Families should also examine student attrition. Who leaves, when do they leave, and why? Do the published outcomes describe a stable group of students, or primarily those who remained?

Finally, listen to alumni. When students move into more demanding high-school classes, college, employment or other unfamiliar settings, do they feel prepared? Can they write, reason, ask for help and work independently? What did their school give them—and what did they have to learn afterward?

Open enrollment also does not mean a guaranteed seat. Families still have to navigate attendance zones, lotteries, available grades and transportation. A useful school list should make those realities visible.

This is the beginning of a list, not the end of one. Our search covers particular schools, grades and measures; it will miss worthwhile options. Its purpose is to expand families’ possibilities and sharpen their questions.

Parents can pursue a strong education for their own children while continuing to demand better for everyone’s children. They deserve trustworthy information, meaningful choices and public schools worthy of their confidence. Black families should be able to approach that search with hope—and with evidence.

Sources and further research

This analysis draws on public New York State and New York City education data, supplemented by school and charter-network websites.

  • NYSED School Report Card Data — School-level and Black/African-American subgroup results for 2024–25 fifth- and eighth-grade English language arts and mathematics assessments, plus Regents English and Algebra I results. Elementary and middle-school proficiency means Levels 3–4; Regents figures in this analysis represent scores of 65 or higher.

  • NYSED Enrollment Data — School enrollment, racial and ethnic composition, economically disadvantaged enrollment, and enrollment of students with disabilities. Downloadable enrollment and assessment databases are available through the NYSED downloads portal.

  • NYSED School-Level Finance Survey — Reported school-level current expenditures and enrollment used for the 2024–25 spending comparison. Per-pupil figures were calculated by dividing current expenditures by the corresponding pre-K–12 enrollment.

  • NYC MySchools and NYC Public Schools’ school directory — School locations, grade offerings, program descriptions and admissions information, including distinctions between open, screened and mixed-admissions pathways.

  • SUNY Charter Schools Institute — Profiles of SUNY-authorized charter schools, including campus locations, authorized grade spans, accountability reports and renewal documents.

  • School and charter-network websites linked in the school list — Published descriptions of instructional models, enrichment, student supports and enrollment procedures. These descriptions reflect schools’ own accounts of their programs, rather than independent evaluations of effectiveness.

Additional resources for families evaluating schools

  • NYC School Survey — Student, family and teacher perspectives on school climate, safety, relationships, leadership and learning conditions. Teacher responses can help families investigate staff experience and working conditions.

  • NYC School Quality Reports — School-level information about learning environments, academic outcomes and, where available, Quality Reviews examining school practices.

  • NYC Public Schools InfoHub: Reports and Policies — Public reporting resources, including demographic and enrollment information that can help families examine changes over time. Enrollment changes alone do not establish student attrition or explain why students leave.

  • NYSED Public Data — Additional information, where reported, about educators, graduation and postsecondary outcomes. Teacher qualifications and experience provide useful context but are not complete measures of teaching quality.

67 schools. Stories worth exploring

  • Academy for College Preparation and Career Exploration — Flatbush. Its community-school model connects college preparation with apprenticeships and family supports. 2024–25 Black-student Regents results: 75.8% scored 65+ in ELA; 62.1% in Algebra I.

  • Achievement First Aspire Charter School — East New York and Bushwick. 2024–25 Black test-takers: grade 8: 59.6% ELA/56.1% math; Regents 65+: 53.2% ELA/59.5% Algebra I.

  • Achievement First Brownsville Charter School — Ocean Hill–Brownsville. Its middle-school enrichment includes music, financial literacy and yoga. In 2024–25, Black eighth-grade test-takers reached 68.8% proficiency in ELA and 62.5% in math.

  • Achievement First Endeavor Charter School — Clinton Hill. 2024–25 Black-student proficiency: grade 5: 53.2% ELA/51.6% math; grade 8: 71.2% ELA/63.2% math.

  • Achievement First Linden Charter School — East New York. Its middle-school program lists dance, theater and sports among its enrichment offerings. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 61.1% proficiency in ELA and 50% in math.

  • Brooklyn Ascend Charter School — Brownsville. Its network emphasizes consistent classroom routines, student independence and family partnership. 2024–25 Black-student proficiency: grade 5: 77.5% ELA/63.8% math; grade 8: 79.7% ELA/69.9% math.

  • Brooklyn Charter School — Bedford-Stuyvesant. The school places a strong emphasis on the arts alongside academics. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 78.3% proficiency in ELA and 81.2% in math. ELA n=23; math n=16.

  • Brooklyn Landmark Elementary School — Ocean Hill. Arts partnerships bring music instruction and teaching artists into the school. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 89.7% proficiency in ELA and 89.5% in math.

  • Brooklyn Scholars Charter School — East New York. Its network pairs academics with “Moral Focus” character education. In 2024–25, Black eighth-grade test-takers reached 69.2% proficiency in ELA and 63.2% in math.

  • Brooklyn Science and Engineering Academy — East Flatbush. Its STEAM program includes coding, robotics and engineering design. In 2024–25, Black eighth-grade test-takers reached 66.7% proficiency in ELA and 63.6% in math.

  • Brownsville Ascend Charter School — Brownsville. Its network emphasizes consistent classroom routines, student independence and family partnership. In 2024–25, Black eighth-grade test-takers reached 52.9% proficiency in ELA and 58.2% in math.

  • Canarsie Ascend Charter School — Canarsie. Its network emphasizes consistent classroom routines, student independence and family partnership. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 76.7% proficiency in ELA and 50.8% in math.

  • Central Brooklyn Ascend Charter School — East Flatbush. Its network emphasizes consistent classroom routines, student independence and family partnership. 2024–25 Black-student proficiency: grade 5: 89.7% ELA/57.9% math; grade 8: 89.9% ELA/89.7% math.

  • Community Partnership Charter School — Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant. Its curriculum connects core subjects through themes, alongside arts and technology. 2024–25 Black-student proficiency: grade 5: 64.3% ELA/51.9% math; grade 8: 88.9% ELA/93.5% math.

  • Eagle Academy for Young Men II — Ocean Hill. Its model for young men emphasizes brotherhood, relationships and culturally responsive learning. 2024–25 Black-student Regents results: 61.7% scored 65+ in ELA; 76.4% in Algebra I.

  • Edmund W. Gordon Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School — Downtown Brooklyn. Brooklyn Lab has used intensive small-group tutoring as a core academic support. In 2024–25, Black eighth-grade test-takers reached 61.5% proficiency in ELA and 63.5% in math.

  • Explore Charter School — Flatbush. Its network pairs K–5 co-teaching with enrichment and preparation for high school. 2024–25 Black-student proficiency: grade 5: 83.7% ELA/71.4% math; grade 8: 72% ELA/72% math.

  • Explore Empower Charter School — Crown Heights. Its network pairs K–5 co-teaching with enrichment and preparation for high school. 2024–25 Black-student proficiency: grade 5: 69.8% ELA/63.6% math; grade 8: 65.2% ELA/62.1% math.

  • Explore Excel Charter School — Canarsie. Its network pairs K–5 co-teaching with enrichment and preparation for high school. 2024–25 Black-student proficiency: grade 5: 66.2% ELA/56.1% math; grade 8: 62.7% ELA/62.7% math.

  • Flatbush Ascend Charter School — Flatbush. Its network emphasizes consistent classroom routines, student independence and family partnership. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 60.9% proficiency in ELA and 59.4% in math.

  • Hebrew Language Academy Charter School — Mill Basin. Daily Modern Hebrew study and global citizenship are central to its model. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 73.7% proficiency in ELA and 71.1% in math.

  • I.S. 285 Meyer Levin — East Flatbush. Its program connects academics with performing arts, athletics and social activism. In 2024–25, Black eighth-grade test-takers reached 54.1% proficiency in ELA and 57.1% in math. ELA n=133; math n=7.

  • Imagine Me Leadership Charter School — East New York. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 75% proficiency in ELA and 88.5% in math.

  • KIPP AMP Charter School — Crown Heights. KIPP has piloted a unified K–8 music program on the AMP campus. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 71.1% proficiency in ELA and 64.3% in math.

  • Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School — Crown Heights. Its middle-school program uses Expeditionary Learning and targeted reading support. In 2024–25, Black eighth-grade test-takers reached 56.1% proficiency in ELA and 60.4% in math.

  • M.S. 267 Math, Science & Technology — Bedford-Stuyvesant. Its approach emphasizes student debate, collaborative projects and individual conferences. In 2024–25, Black eighth-grade test-takers reached 50% proficiency in ELA and 80% in math. ELA n=16; math n=10.

  • M.S. 35 Stephen Decatur — Bedford-Stuyvesant. Its magnet model combines leadership, project-based learning and the arts. In 2024–25, Black eighth-grade test-takers reached 90.7% proficiency in ELA and 63.2% in math.

  • New Bridges Elementary — Crown Heights. Its community-school approach integrates music, drama, dance and social-emotional learning. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 76.5% proficiency in ELA and 61.8% in math.

  • P.S. 11 Purvis J. Behan — Clinton Hill. Its PTA-supported after-school program offers arts, languages, sports and science. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 92.5% proficiency in ELA and 94.3% in math.

  • P.S. 114 Ryder Elementary — Canarsie. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 75% proficiency in ELA and 83.3% in math.

  • P.S. 138 Brooklyn — Crown Heights. 2024–25 Black-student proficiency: grade 5: 82.6% ELA/95.8% math; grade 8: 71% ELA/67.7% math. Schoolwide results may include selective programs.

  • P.S. 198 Brooklyn — Flatbush. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 66.7% proficiency in ELA and 56.7% in math.

  • P.S. 203 Floyd Bennett School — Flatlands. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 85% proficiency in ELA and 77.3% in math.

  • P.S. 208 Elsa Ebeling — Flatbush. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 82.8% proficiency in ELA and 60.7% in math.

  • P.S. 21 Crispus Attucks — Bedford-Stuyvesant. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 80.4% proficiency in ELA and 69.6% in math.

  • P.S. 233 Langston Hughes — Flatbush. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 68.2% proficiency in ELA and 77.3% in math.

  • P.S. 235 Janice Marie Knight School — East Flatbush / Canarsie. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 68.1% proficiency in ELA and 59.7% in math. Schoolwide results may include selective programs.

  • P.S. 241 Emma L. Johnston — Crown Heights. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 66.7% proficiency in ELA and 58.5% in math.

  • P.S. 244 Richard R. Green — Flatbush. In 2024–25, Black fifth-grade test-takers reached 76.7% proficiency in ELA and 71.4% in math.

  • Link to full list here.