Enrollment
460
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · New York, NY
Ps 234 Independence School
Federal NCES profile for Ps 234 Independence School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 360007704356
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ps 234 Independence School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median.
- #4 of 46
- elementary schools in New York · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- students per teacher
- 7.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ps 234 Independence School has class sizes near the New York median. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 234 Independence School ranks #4 of 46 elementary schools in New York, NY.
School address
District: New York City Geographic District # 2 · New York
NCES ID 360007704356 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
7.8%
vs 56.2% New York avg
-86% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ps 234 Independence School compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ps 234 Independence School
Ps 234 Independence School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in New York, New York, enrolling 460 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 12.4:1 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 7.8% free-meal eligibility runs 86% below the New York average.
With 460 students, its enrollment sits close to the New York median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 4,801 scored New York schools.
Against 404 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #93.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Two or More (12%) (diversity index 53/100).
17.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
New York City Geographic District # 2 also operates Stuyvesant High School (3,261 students) and High School for Health Professions & Human Services (1,728 students) alongside Ps 234 Independence School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Ps 234 Independence School compares
Ps 234 Independence School on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▲ 5% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 7.8% | ▼ 86% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 460 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
460
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
7.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 86% below the New York average of 56.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 65% in New York - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
17.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 65.9%
Two or More 11.5%
Hispanic or Latino 10.9%
Asian 9.6%
African American 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 65.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.1, Ps 234 Independence School is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
How Ps 234 Independence School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuyvesant High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| High School for Health Professions & Human Services | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Art and Design High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| High School of Fashion Industries (the) | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jhs 104 Simon Baruch | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ps 234 Independence School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,261
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,728
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,485
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,455
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,023
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~460 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ps 234 Independence School's federal record.
- Compare Ps 234 Independence School against another school. Compare schools
- New York City Geographic District # 2's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Ps 234 Independence School
How many students attend Ps 234 Independence School?
Ps 234 Independence School has 460 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in New York, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ps 234 Independence School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ps 234 Independence School is 12.4:1, which is 5% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 21% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ps 234 Independence School?
7.8% of students at Ps 234 Independence School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ps 234 Independence School?
The largest demographic group at Ps 234 Independence School is White at 65.9% of enrollment, in New York, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ps 234 Independence School?
Ps 234 Independence School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ps 234 Independence School rank among elementary schools in New York?
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 234 Independence School ranks #4 of 46 elementary schools in New York, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in New York on the city page.
Is Ps 234 Independence School a good school?
Ps 234 Independence School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in New York City Geographic District # 2?
Besides Ps 234 Independence School, New York City Geographic District # 2 also operates Stuyvesant High School (3,261 students), High School for Health Professions & Human Services (1,728 students), and Art and Design High School (1,485 students). See the New York City Geographic District # 2 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.