MS 839 vs SCHOOL OF INTEGRATED LEARNING (THE)

MS 839 holds a 0.3-point edge in overall rating — 8.5/10 versus 8.2/10 for The School of Integrated Learning — and that gap is reinforced by state rank. MS 839 sits at #276 of 4,742 schools in New York, placing it in roughly the top 6% statewide. The School of Integrated Learning ranks #495 of 4,742, still a strong top-11% finish, but meaningfully behind MS 839 on this measure.

The academic picture flips when examined at the sub-score level. The School of Integrated Learning earns an 8.8/10 academic score versus MS 839's 8.3/10 — a five-point advantage suggesting stronger raw proficiency outcomes. MS 839 counters with a near-perfect growth score of 9.9/10, compared to The School of Integrated Learning's 9.6/10. In practical terms, MS 839 is exceptionally effective at accelerating students from their starting point, while The School of Integrated Learning's students are arriving at — or maintaining — higher absolute proficiency levels.

The two schools diverge sharply on socioeconomic composition. MS 839 serves 305 students with 44% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The School of Integrated Learning enrolls 220 students, with 92% on free or reduced lunch — more than double the rate. This demographic difference is significant context for interpreting both schools' academic scores: The School of Integrated Learning is producing an 8.8/10 academic score with a predominantly high-need population, which represents a notable achievement. Student-teacher ratios are close — 10.5:1 at MS 839 versus 11.0:1 at The School of Integrated Learning — meaning neither school holds a meaningful class-size advantage.

Both schools cover grades 6 through 8 and sit 2.5 miles apart in Brooklyn, making geography a secondary differentiator for most families. Neither school offers a distinct grade-level separation, so the choice comes down to what a family weights more: MS 839's higher overall and growth scores in a more mixed-income environment, or The School of Integrated Learning's stronger academic proficiency score in a school serving a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students.