Enrollment
882
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Brooklyn, NY
Ps 97 Highlawn (the)
Federal NCES profile for Ps 97 Highlawn (the), including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 360015202370
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ps 97 Highlawn (the) earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of New York schools.
- #30 of 262
- schools in Brooklyn · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- large classes for New York
- 67.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Ps 97 Highlawn (the) has class sizes larger than 82% of New York schools. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 97 Highlawn (the) ranks #30 of 262 schools in Brooklyn, NY.
School address
District: New York City Geographic District #21 · New York
NCES ID 360015202370 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.4%
vs 56.2% New York avg
+20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ps 97 Highlawn (the) compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ps 97 Highlawn (the)
Ps 97 Highlawn (the) is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Brooklyn, New York, enrolling 882 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 67.4% lands close to the New York typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 882 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 4,801 scored New York schools.
Among 464 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New York schools statewide, it ranks #47, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Asian (48%) and White (25%) (diversity index 65/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights 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 97 Highlawn (the).
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 97 Highlawn (the) compares
Ps 97 Highlawn (the) 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 | 14.2:1 | ▲ 20% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.4% | ▲ 20% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 882 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
882
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 82% in New York - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.9%
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
Asian 48.4%
White 25.1%
Hispanic or Latino 22.6%
Two or More 1.7%
African American 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Asian at 48.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.1, Ps 97 Highlawn (the) is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
How Ps 97 Highlawn (the) Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edward R Murrow High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Abraham Lincoln High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John Dewey High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Is 228 David a Boody | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Is 98 Bay Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ps 97 Highlawn (the)'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 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 (~882 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ps 97 Highlawn (the)'s federal record.
- Compare Ps 97 Highlawn (the) 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 97 Highlawn (the)
How many students attend Ps 97 Highlawn (the)?
Ps 97 Highlawn (the) has 882 students enrolled. It is a public school in Brooklyn, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ps 97 Highlawn (the)?
The student-teacher ratio at Ps 97 Highlawn (the) is 14.2:1, which is 20% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ps 97 Highlawn (the)?
67.4% of students at Ps 97 Highlawn (the) are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ps 97 Highlawn (the)?
The largest demographic group at Ps 97 Highlawn (the) is Asian at 48.4% of enrollment, in Brooklyn, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ps 97 Highlawn (the)?
Ps 97 Highlawn (the) has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 97 Highlawn (the) rank among schools in Brooklyn?
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 97 Highlawn (the) ranks #30 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 97 Highlawn (the) a good school?
Ps 97 Highlawn (the) earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of 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 97 Highlawn (the), 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.