Original Research by School Decision on Ps 370
PS 370 is a special education school serving kindergarten through grade twelve in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn. The school has a small enrollment for its wide grade span, with most students placed in ungraded settings, reflecting the complexity and diversity of need among the population served.
The student body is economically vulnerable. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student composition is racially and ethnically mixed, with white, Hispanic, and Asian students each representing meaningful portions of the enrollment, alongside smaller populations of Black students and other groups.
State testing data was not available for this school, and no graduation rate was provided. This absence of publicly reported assessment and outcome metrics is typical for special education schools. PS 370 sits outside the comparison metrics used for other districts in Kings County because its mission and student population differ fundamentally from general-education schools. A parent seeking to understand how the school performs academically relative to peers in the special education network, or what transition and post-secondary pathways the school offers, would need to inquire directly with the school and District 75, the specialized district that oversees all special education schools in New York City.
PS 370 is one school within District 75, which has undergone changes relevant to families. The district adopted the citywide NYC Reads literacy curriculum, standardizing reading instruction around science-of-reading and phonics approaches while maintaining flexibility for students on life-skills versus grade-level tracks. District 75 has also faced funding pressures; in late 2023 the city proposed significant budget cuts that would have affected staffing and supplies before reversing course after parent and staff advocacy. More broadly, the city has been expanding District 75 seat capacity by opening new programs across boroughs to reduce long commutes for students with disabilities, though seat deficits persist in some areas like the Bronx and parts of Queens.
PS 370's location in Coney Island places it in a heavily residential, transit-connected part of Brooklyn. The neighborhood blends dense housing with waterfront access and established commercial corridors. Brooklyn broadly is in strong growth, with new residential development concentrated in Downtown Brooklyn and neighborhoods like Williamsburg, while the housing market has experienced modest appreciation. Walk scores across Brooklyn are very high, and most neighborhoods have good access to transit, parks including Prospect Park, and the extensive Brooklyn Public Library system. The area around PS 370 is walkable with active street life and subway connections, typical of Brooklyn's urban fabric.
Parents considering PS 370 should reach out to the school and District 75 to understand the full range of programs offered, how the school individualizes instruction across such a wide developmental span, what supports and services are available, and what pathways the school emphasizes for students moving toward adulthood and transition planning.
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