Original Research by School Decision on Ps 77
PS 77 is a special education school serving kindergarten through grade twelve in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood. It is part of District 75, the city's dedicated special schools system for students with significant disabilities across all five boroughs.
The school serves a small enrollment concentrated heavily in the early grades. Kindergarten and first grade make up the bulk of the student body; enrollment in higher grades drops sharply, with only single-digit numbers in middle and high school. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the families served. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse, with the largest groups being Black students and Asian students, followed by Hispanic and white students in smaller proportions.
Because PS 77 is a special education school, state testing and graduation rate data do not apply. The school exists to serve students with disabilities whose needs fall outside the general education pathway. The comparison metrics used across districts in Kings County—overall proficiency, four-year graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism—are not reported for this school, both because these metrics do not fit the school's purpose and because students with disabilities are often exempt from state assessments or follow alternative assessment protocols.
What families should know about placement at PS 77 is the nature of special education services themselves. District 75 has been expanding classroom seats across Brooklyn and other boroughs to reduce the distance students must travel and to accommodate unmet demand. The district adopted the NYC Reads literacy curriculum in a phased rollout, using science-of-reading approaches, though implementation remains flexible to match the wide range of student needs—some students follow grade-level curricula while others work on life skills. In late 2023 the city proposed sharp budget cuts to District 75 that would have eliminated paraprofessional positions and extracurriculars, affecting schools serving students who often require significant staffing support; the cuts were reversed after parent and staff advocacy. That episode underscores the funding pressures on special education services that families should track.
Park Slope itself is a walkable, well-resourced Brooklyn neighborhood anchored by Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Public Library's Central Branch. The area has active street life, frequent retail and dining, and solid transit connections. Housing costs in Brooklyn are steep, with home values and rents both rising year over year. Major employment in the borough centers on healthcare, higher education, and a growing tech sector. The neighborhood's character mixes brownstone residential streets with commercial corridors and has seen sustained residential growth.
Parents considering PS 77 should speak directly with the school and District 75 placement staff about the specific programs, classroom settings, staffing ratios, and curricular pathways available for their child's age and needs, as the school's enrollment structure and mission are fundamentally different from general education schools.
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