Enrollment
253
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Brooklyn, NY
Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer
Federal NCES profile for Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 360009102243
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of New York schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York schools.
- #91 of 262
- schools in Brooklyn · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.3:1
- large classes for New York
- 40.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer has class sizes larger than 75% of New York schools. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer ranks #91 of 262 schools in Brooklyn, NY.
School address
District: New York City Geographic District #13 · New York
NCES ID 360009102243 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.8%
vs 56.2% New York avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer
Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Brooklyn, New York, enrolling 253 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 253 puts it in the smaller third of New York schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 4,801 scored New York schools.
Among 541 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New York schools statewide, it ranks #486, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and African American (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
New York City Geographic District #13 also operates Brooklyn Technical High School (5,848 students) and Ps 11 Purvis J Behan (923 students) alongside Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer.
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 56 Lewis H Latimer compares
Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer 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 | 13.3:1 | ▲ 13% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.8% | ▼ 27% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 253 | top 84% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
253
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% below 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
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 75% in New York - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
34.4%
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 41.5%
African American 31.6%
Hispanic or Latino 16.2%
Two or More 7.5%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 41.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.6, Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
How Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Technical High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ps 11 Purvis J Behan | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Banneker Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ps 9 Sarah Smith Garnet School (the) | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Academy of Arts and Letters | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 5,848
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 923
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 854
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 782
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 757
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar other 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 (~253 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer's federal record.
- Compare Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer against another school. Compare schools
- New York City Geographic District #13'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 56 Lewis H Latimer
How many students attend Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer?
Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer has 253 students enrolled. It is a public school in Brooklyn, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer?
The student-teacher ratio at Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer is 13.3:1, which is 13% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer?
40.8% of students at Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer?
The largest demographic group at Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer is White at 41.5% of enrollment, in Brooklyn, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer?
Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 56 Lewis H Latimer rank among schools in Brooklyn?
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer ranks #91 of 262 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 schools in Brooklyn on the city page.
Is Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer a good school?
Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% 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 #13?
Besides Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer, New York City Geographic District #13 also operates Brooklyn Technical High School (5,848 students), Ps 11 Purvis J Behan (923 students), and Benjamin Banneker Academy (854 students). See the New York City Geographic District #13 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.