Ps 75 Mayda Cortiella, Brooklyn NY

Original Research by School Decision on Ps 75 Mayda Cortiella

PS 75 Mayda Cortiella is a small elementary school in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school enrolls a small population typical for a neighborhood elementary in New York City, with the majority of students identifying as Hispanic, followed by Black students and a small Asian population. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the surrounding community.

The school's recent state test results show academic performance well below both state standards and the median for tested schools across Kings County. In math, proficiency drops significantly as grades progress: third grade students showed modest proficiency, but by fourth grade and especially fifth grade, proficiency fell to very low levels. English language arts proficiency follows a similar pattern, strongest in third grade and declining in upper grades. Fifth grade science proficiency was also low. Participation rates in testing were strong, indicating that absences did not account for the low proficiency numbers. A snapshot of fifth grade social studies from over a decade ago showed much stronger performance, but more recent data in that subject is not available, so the current picture in social studies is unclear.

Brooklyn itself is a highly walkable urban borough with dense neighborhoods, strong public transit, and an active street life. The surrounding area near Grove Street in Williamsburg is part of a neighborhood that has seen substantial new residential construction and development in recent years, with a mix of long-standing residents and newer arrivals. Housing values in the zipcode are substantial and have been appreciating; rents have also risen. The community is served by the Brooklyn Public Library system, Prospect Park, and extensive subway and bus connections that make car ownership optional for many families.

District 32, the geographic school district that includes PS 75, underwent a major curriculum change in the 2023-24 school year when the city's NYC Reads initiative took effect. All elementary schools in the district shifted to a single approved reading curriculum, the Into Reading program from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ending the practice of principals choosing their own materials. This curriculum drew some criticism from Brooklyn parents and educators for limited emphasis on critical thinking and cultural responsiveness. The district is scheduled to undergo a parallel math and reading mandate rollout in middle schools beginning in 2026-27.

A parent evaluating PS 75 would want to look closely at what the school is doing to address the gap between current proficiency levels and proficiency benchmarks, particularly in grades four and five. The strength of the testing participation rate means the low scores reflect actual student performance rather than a testing access issue. The school's academic trajectory and any specific literacy or math interventions in place would be important to understand directly from the school, as test data alone does not reveal the strategies or programs underway.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 50% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 40% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 42 pts below county median

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 40% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 38 pts below state median · ▼ 44 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 40% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 35% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 45% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 35 pts below county median

Science

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 32% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 587%

School 87% · district not reported

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #32, 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.