PS 114 RYDER ELEMENTARY vs PS 361 EAST FLATBUSH EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL

PS 361 East Flatbush Early Childhood School holds a clear edge in overall standing, rating 9.3/10 against PS 114 Ryder Elementary's 9.0/10 — a 0.3-point gap that translates into a substantial state rank difference. PS 361 ranks #16 of 4,739 schools in New York, placing it in the top 0.3% statewide, while PS 114 ranks #69 of 4,739 — itself an exceptional position, but more than 50 spots behind its East Flatbush counterpart. Both schools sit among New York's elite elementary programs; the question for families is which specific strengths matter most.

Academically, PS 361 East Flatbush leads by 0.9 points — 8.8/10 versus PS 114 Ryder Elementary's 7.9/10 — a meaningful gap that reflects stronger measured proficiency outcomes. Growth scores, however, are nearly identical: PS 114 earns a 9.8/10 and PS 361 a 9.9/10, meaning both schools are exceptional at accelerating student progress relative to peers. A family whose child enters with grade-level gaps will find strong trajectories at either school; a family prioritizing tested proficiency levels will find PS 361 the stronger performer.

PS 361 East Flatbush enrolls 364 students to PS 114 Ryder Elementary's 390, keeping both schools comparably sized. The more consequential demographic difference is the student-teacher ratio: PS 361 at 9.6:1 offers meaningfully more individual attention than PS 114 at 11.5:1 — nearly two additional students per teacher at PS 114. Both schools serve high free and reduced-price lunch populations, with PS 361 at 90% and PS 114 at 84%, reflecting similar socioeconomic contexts across their East Flatbush and Canarsie-area communities just 2.1 miles apart.

One structural distinction affects younger families directly: PS 114 Ryder Elementary serves grades PK through 5, offering pre-kindergarten enrollment a year earlier than PS 361 East Flatbush Early Childhood School, which begins at kindergarten. Families seeking an earlier public school entry point will find PS 114 the only option between the two.