Ps 244 Richard R Green, Brooklyn NY

Original Research by School Decision on Ps 244 Richard R Green

PS 244 Richard R Green is a small public elementary school in east-central Brooklyn serving prekindergarten through fifth grade. The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly Black, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. Located on Tilden Avenue in the Flatbush area, the school sits within New York City Geographic District 18.

In mathematics, the school's performance is strong across its tested grades. Third-grade students show proficiency at a high rate, while students in fourth and fifth grades demonstrate solid mastery, with performance declining modestly as grade level increases. The school's math trajectory suggests that younger students are grasping foundational concepts well, though there is a slight erosion in proficiency by upper elementary grades.

English language arts tells a different story. Third graders perform at a high level, roughly comparable to their math performance. However, fourth-grade proficiency drops considerably, with only about half the students meeting the proficiency threshold, before recovering somewhat in fifth grade. This dip in fourth-grade ELA is a soft spot the school may want to examine; a parent evaluating the school would reasonably ask what supports or interventions are in place for that grade level and whether specific instructional shifts might help.

In science, fifth-grade results show students struggling significantly more than they do in math or reading. The proficiency rate is substantially lower, suggesting that science instruction may need strengthening or that students have had less exposure to science content. The school did not report science testing for grades three and four, which is typical as New York administers science assessments only in fifth grade.

The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among districts in Kings County, which is a genuine strength. This metric aggregates performance across all tested subjects and grades, and the school's standing reflects solid performance in math and strong third-grade work across subjects, though the science results and fourth-grade ELA dip are factored in.

PS 244 serves about that size for a neighborhood elementary school, with good representation from pre-K through fifth grade. Nearly all students live in economically modest circumstances, as nearly all qualify for meal assistance. The school is in a dense Brooklyn neighborhood with strong transit access and the walkable character typical of central and eastern Brooklyn residential areas.

The New York City school system recently implemented NYC Reads, a city-mandated elementary literacy curriculum requiring all schools to adopt one of three approved programs aligned with the science of reading. This change affects how PS 244 teaches reading going forward and standardizes literacy instruction across the district. A parent might want to ask the school which curriculum it has chosen and how the transition has unfolded.

The neighborhood itself is established and stable, with housing values moderate and growing modestly. Brooklyn's economy supports major healthcare and higher education employers and has seen sustained housing development in recent years. Schools in Brooklyn are embedded in walkable residential neighborhoods rather than isolated campuses, and this school is integrated into the dense urban fabric of its area.

For families considering this school, the chief questions would be about the fourth-grade ELA dip, the science results, and how the school is implementing NYC Reads. Parents should ask directly about instructional approaches and whether extra support exists for students who do not immediately grasp concepts. The strong performance in math and among third graders suggests capable teaching and a school that can succeed with its students; the uneven results across grades and subjects indicate a place still refining how it serves all learners consistently.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 397%

School 97% · District 74% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 479%

School 79% · District 58% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 577%

School 77% · District 61% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 397%

School 97% · District 64% · ▲ 33 pts above district

▲ 45 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 460%

School 60% · District 54% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 572%

School 72% · District 60% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Science

Grade 538%

School 38% · District 33% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 591%

School 91% · district not reported

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #18, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income96%Higher-income100%4 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income67%Higher-income100%33 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income97%Higher-income100%3 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income72%Higher-income100%28 pp gap