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Excellent

#670 of 4,742 schools in NY

Top 14% in state

PS 397 Foster-laurie

Elementary School · New York City Geographic District #17 · Brooklyn, NY

A New York City Geographic District #17 elementary school where students score 9 points above what's typical for similar communities.

490 FENIMORE ST, Brooklyn, NY 11203

  • Math 46% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 55% proficient (2022)
  • 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.6Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change+1.33 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendImproving
Academics7.4Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency45.5% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency54.6% (2022 EdFacts)
Math vs. State Avg-8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-6.3 pts
Overall Proficiency50% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)41% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected+8.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile61th
Resources & Environment4.8Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.9:1
Chronic Absenteeism47.9%

Students at PS 397 Foster-laurie score 50% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 41%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NY average.

Math Proficiency46%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency55%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 15 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 50% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
73%
ELA
57%
2010
Math
41%
ELA
38%
2011
Math
51%
ELA
44%
2012
Math
12%
ELA
17%
2013
Math
17%
ELA
22%
2014
Math
12%
ELA
12%
2015
Math
22%
ELA
22%
2016
Math
32%
ELA
42%
2017
Math
47%
ELA
52%
2018
Math
57%
ELA
47%
2019
Math
57%
ELA
47%
2020*
Math
45%
ELA
85%
2021*
Math
44%
ELA
81%
2022
Math
46%
ELA
55%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 51% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 34 test records from NY state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

80.8%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where PS 397 Foster-laurie sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the New York map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 92Walker's Paradise
  • Transit 99Rider’s Paradise
  • Bike 73Very Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$68,028

Median home value

$677,700

Median rent

$1,566/mo

College educated

25.9%

Homeownership

39.4%

Poverty rate

16%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 11203; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Darchai Menachem IncPrivate · tuition6.3privateK–110.0 mi153Compare →
Mary Bobb Learning AcademyPrivate · tuitionNot ratedPK–10.2 mi13Compare →
St Francis of Assisi Catholic AcademyPrivate · tuition5.6privatePK–80.2 mi179Compare →
Explore Charter SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified6.1K–80.3 mi523Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

New York City Geographic District #17

Schools in district
49
Rank in district
#4 of 49
District spending per student
The source marked this value as not applicable.
District child poverty rate
The source release did not match this district identifier.

PS 397 Foster-laurie is listed in NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #17; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About PS 397 Foster-laurie

PS 397 Foster-laurie is a public elementary school in Brooklyn, NY, part of New York City Geographic District #17, serving approximately 167 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10 and ranks #670 of 4,742 schools in NY. State assessment records show 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 51% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about PS 397 Foster-laurie

What grades does PS 397 Foster-laurie serve?

PS 397 Foster-laurie serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend PS 397 Foster-laurie?

PS 397 Foster-laurie has an enrollment of approximately 167 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at PS 397 Foster-laurie?

The student-teacher ratio at PS 397 Foster-laurie is 11.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does PS 397 Foster-laurie rank in NY?

PS 397 Foster-laurie ranks #670 of 4,742 schools in NY.

What is PS 397 Foster-laurie's MySchoolScout rating?

PS 397 Foster-laurie has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at PS 397 Foster-laurie?

Based on loaded state assessment records, PS 397 Foster-laurie has 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 51% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is PS 397 Foster-laurie a charter school?

No, PS 397 Foster-laurie is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is PS 397 Foster-laurie a Title I school?

No, PS 397 Foster-laurie is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for PS 397 Foster-laurie?

80.8% of students at PS 397 Foster-laurie qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
167
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
14
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Kings County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
47.9%
Area population (ZIP 11203)
76,853
Area average commute
46 min
Area median age
43.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 11203; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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