Enrollment
955
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Brooklyn, NY
Ps 253
Federal NCES profile for Ps 253, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 360015202767
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ps 253 earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of New York schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York schools.
- #82 of 95
- elementary schools in Brooklyn · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.4:1
- large classes for New York
- 83.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Ps 253 has class sizes larger than 89% of New York schools. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 253 ranks #82 of 95 elementary schools in Brooklyn, NY.
School address
District: New York City Geographic District #21 · New York
NCES ID 360015202767 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.5%
vs 56.2% New York avg
+49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ps 253 compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ps 253
Ps 253 is a high-poverty, large elementary school in Brooklyn, New York, enrolling 955 students.
Class loads run heavy: 15.4:1 is larger than about 89% of New York schools and 31% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 83.5% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New York, bigger than 91% of state schools at 955 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 4,801 scored New York schools.
Against 429 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #249.
Its student body is led by White (38%) and Asian (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
New York City Geographic District #21 also operates Edward R Murrow High School (3,503 students) and Abraham Lincoln High School (2,210 students) alongside Ps 253.
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 253 compares
Ps 253 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 | 15.4:1 | ▲ 31% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.5% | ▲ 49% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 955 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
955
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
83.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% above the New York average of 56.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 89% in New York - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
35.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
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 38.0%
Asian 32.8%
Hispanic or Latino 25.7%
Two or More 1.8%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 38.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.2, Ps 253 is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
How Ps 253 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edward R Murrow High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Abraham Lincoln High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John Dewey High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Is 228 David a Boody | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Is 98 Bay Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ps 253's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,503
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,210
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,209
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,555
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,435
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
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 (~955 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ps 253's federal record.
- Compare Ps 253 against another school. Compare schools
- New York City Geographic District #21'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 253
How many students attend Ps 253?
Ps 253 has 955 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Brooklyn, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ps 253?
The student-teacher ratio at Ps 253 is 15.4:1, which is 31% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ps 253?
83.5% of students at Ps 253 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ps 253?
The largest demographic group at Ps 253 is White at 38.0% of enrollment, in Brooklyn, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ps 253?
Ps 253 has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 253 rank among elementary schools in Brooklyn?
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 253 ranks #82 of 95 elementary schools in Brooklyn, 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 Brooklyn on the city page.
Is Ps 253 a good school?
Ps 253 earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of New York schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York schools. 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 #21?
Besides Ps 253, New York City Geographic District #21 also operates Edward R Murrow High School (3,503 students), Abraham Lincoln High School (2,210 students), and John Dewey High School (2,209 students). See the New York City Geographic District #21 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.