Is Ps 321 William Penn a good school?

Yes! Ps 321 William Penn is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 57 th of 2445 New York elementary schools.

How many students attend Ps 321 William Penn?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,216 students attended Ps 321 William Penn.

What is the racial makeup of Ps 321 William Penn?

Students at Ps 321 William Penn are 67% White, 12% Two or more races, 9% Asian, 9% Hispanic, 3% African American.

Ps 321 William Penn

Summary:

PS 321 William Penn is an exceptional elementary school located in Brooklyn, New York, serving 1,216 students in grades K-5. This school is part of the New York City Geographic District #15, which is ranked 394 out of 865 districts in the state.

PS 321 William Penn consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in New York, receiving a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's academic performance is outstanding, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math significantly higher than the district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 85.56% of 3rd graders, 85.64% of 4th graders, and 82.18% of 5th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 60.79%, 64.03%, and 56.21% in the district, respectively. In Math, 91.8% of 3rd graders, 95.11% of 4th graders, and 85.8% of 5th graders were proficient or better, compared to 68.58%, 69.73%, and 61.69% in the district. The school's 5th-grade Science proficiency rate of 64.63% is also significantly higher than the district's 43.08% and the state's 35%.

PS 321 William Penn's exceptional performance extends across various student subgroups, ranking in the top 100 schools in New York for female, male, Hispanic, and white students. The school's performance for Asian and multi-racial students is also strong, ranking in the top 139 and 31 schools, respectively. Additionally, the school's special education students rank in the top 41 schools in New York, and its low socioeconomic status students rank in the top 215 schools. With a relatively high per-student spending of $14,947 and a student-teacher ratio of 15.2, PS 321 William Penn is effectively allocating resources to support student learning and create a more favorable learning environment. When compared to nearby schools, such as PS 39 Henry Bristow and Maurice Sendak Community School, PS 321 William Penn significantly outperforms its peers in academic proficiency rates, ranking, and overall performance.

Detail:

Public K-5

180 7th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11215

(718) 499-2412

District: New York City Geographic District #15

SchoolDigger Rank:
57^th of 2,445 New York Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,947

Student/teacher ratio: 15.2

Number of students: 1,216

Racial breakdown:

White:

66.6%

Two or more races:

12.2%

Asian:

9.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 6.3%

See top rated New York elementary schools

Compare Ps 321 William Penn to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ps 321 William Penn ranks better than 97.7% of elementary schools in New York. It also ranks 2^nd among 26 ranked elementary schools in the New York City Geographic District #15. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.24. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Ps 321 William Penn has the largest elementary school student body size in the New York City Geographic District #15. Racial makeup is: White (66.6%), two or more races (12.2%), Asian (9.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 6.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the New York City Geographic District #15. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ps 321 William Penn is 15.2. 23 elementary schools in the New York City Geographic District #15 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Ps 321 William Penn employs 80 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ps 321 William Penn is $14,947, which is the lowest among 27 elementary schools in the New York City Geographic District #15!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ps 321 William Penn:

SchoolDigger ranks Ps 321 William Penn 57^th of 2445 New York public elementary schools. (See Ps 321 William Penn in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

New York City Geographic District #15:

SchoolDigger ranks New York City Geographic District #15 394^th of 865 New York school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Ps 321 William Penn

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Rank History for all students at Ps 321 William Penn

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2006	78.38	382^nd	2206	82.7%
2007	80.71	293^rd	2219	86.8%
2008	74.87	533^rd	2227	76.1%
2009	75.99	451^st	2257	80.0%
2010	86.02	153^rd	2263	93.2%
2011	92.20	41^st	2286	98.2%
2012	91.72	46^th	2320	98.0%
2013	96.75	8^th	2325	99.7%
2014	96.26	13^th	2345	99.4%
2015	95.26	32^nd	2352	98.6%
2016	95.41	30^th	2366	98.7%
2017	93.87	66^th	2386	97.2%
2018	92.87	87^th	2395	96.4%
2019	95.64	75^th	2413	96.9%
2021	88.92	149^th	2201	93.2%
2022	94.42	81^st	2434	96.7%
2023	95.50	76^th	2439	96.9%
2024	96.24	57^th	2445	97.7%

See the entire list of New York Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Ps 321 William Penn

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	81.91	34^th	202	83.2%
2019	86.45	20^th	180	88.9%
2022	91.39	21^st	289	92.7%
2023	88.59	31^st	223	86.1%
2024	88.61	31^st	279	88.9%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ps 321 William Penn

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	93.58	65^th	1941	96.7%
2019	97.40	44^th	1859	97.6%
2021	93.36	19^th	1044	98.2%
2022	95.94	37^th	2031	98.2%
2023	98.28	23^rd	2016	98.9%
2024	97.26	41^st	2110	98.1%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ps 321 William Penn

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	84.88	181^st	2045	91.1%
2019	87.19	186^th	2032	90.8%
2022	91.07	119^th	2099	94.3%
2023	90.05	149^th	2041	92.7%
2024	83.75	215^th	2078	89.7%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ps 321 William Penn

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	91.57	88^th	2338	96.2%
2019	95.07	64^th	2357	97.3%
2021	86.34	157^th	1955	92.0%
2022	93.94	73^rd	2401	97.0%
2023	94.81	73^rd	2403	97.0%
2024	95.27	66^th	2413	97.3%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ps 321 William Penn

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	92.47	83^rd	2340	96.5%
2019	94.50	89^th	2358	96.2%
2021	87.17	151^st	1961	92.3%
2022	93.10	91^st	2400	96.2%
2023	94.65	79^th	2400	96.7%
2024	95.75	58^th	2411	97.6%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Ps 321 William Penn

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2021	72.11	115^th	430	73.3%
2022	76.61	131^st	671	80.5%
2023	75.39	138^th	605	77.2%
2024	76.61	139^th	662	79.0%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ps 321 William Penn

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	88.63	85^th	1392	93.9%
2019	83.65	149^th	1315	88.7%
2022	76.99	237^th	1503	84.2%
2024	89.59	100^th	1531	93.5%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Ps 321 William Penn

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	88.53	64^th	1408	95.5%
2019	92.22	47^th	1338	96.5%
2021	80.95	175^th	1224	85.7%
2022	88.82	68^th	1399	95.1%
2023	90.74	69^th	1337	94.8%
2024	92.15	53^rd	1392	96.2%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: NY State Education Department, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: NY State Education Department

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Fantastic school. Great teachers. The leadership team has a strong focus on teaching the love for learning, critical thinking and collaboration. The teachers do NOT focus on the statewide tests, which is refreshing. My child, now in 8th grade, was more than prepared for middle school. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Ps 321 William Penn

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	464	212	38	213	3	n/a	n/a	0	930
1990	478	201	33	228	1	n/a	n/a	0	941
1991	492	204	53	227	2	n/a	n/a	36	1014
1992	507	240	53	233	0	n/a	n/a	0	1033
1993	609	201	46	261	0	n/a	n/a	0	1117
1994	673	207	40	240	5	n/a	n/a	0	1165
1995	675	230	68	268	26	n/a	n/a	0	1267
1996	675	230	68	268	26	n/a	n/a	0	1267
1997	671	227	74	258	21	n/a	n/a	0	1251
1998	713	224	72	269	14	n/a	n/a	0	1292
1999	713	232	70	245	7	n/a	n/a	0	1267
2000	745	221	62	242	5	n/a	n/a	0	1275
2001	759	245	58	248	3	n/a	n/a	0	1313
2002	768	235	64	203	2	n/a	n/a	0	1272
2003	768	235	64	203	2	n/a	n/a	0	1272
2004	784	232	65	201	3	n/a	n/a	0	1285
2005	757	240	60	202	5	n/a	n/a	0	1264
2006	780	221	67	197	5	n/a	n/a	0	1270
2007	792	206	75	187	3	n/a	n/a	0	1263
2008	804	194	97	178	3	n/a	n/a	0	1276
2009	845	188	98	162	4	n/a	n/a	0	1297
2010	927	167	92	135	4	n/a	n/a	0	1325
2011	992	137	89	157	1	0	0	0	1376
2012	991	121	133	146	7	1	3	0	1402
2013	1052	112	106	136	2	1	48	0	1457
2014	1082	98	106	130	2	0	66	0	1484
2015	1105	70	95	122	3	0	76	0	1471
2016	1105	64	96	116	5	0	79	0	1465
2017	1115	58	89	107	5	0	79	0	1453
2018	1099	49	83	89	7	0	90	0	1417
2019	1060	38	83	85	9	0	109	0	1384
2020	1025	37	97	89	11	0	123	0	1382
2021	926	31	93	88	12	0	137	0	1287
2022	850	34	108	84	10	0	137	0	1223
2023	810	31	112	106	9	0	148	0	1216

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ps 321 William Penn

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	930	56.0	16.6	n/a
1990	941	60.9	15.4	n/a
1991	1014	56.9	17.8	n/a
1992	1033	53.0	19.4	n/a
1993	1117	57.0	19.6	n/a
1994	1165	64.8	18.0	n/a
1995	1267	67.4	18.8	n/a
1996	1267	67.4	18.8	n/a
1997	1251	69.6	18.0	24.5
1998	1292	64.2	20.1	25.5
1999	1267	64.8	19.6	24.2
2000	1275	76.3	16.7	26.3
2001	1313	74.0	17.7	26.3
2002	1272	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	1272	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	1285	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	1264	80.0	15.8	0
2006	1270	81.0	15.7	18.7
2007	1263	88.5	14.3	17.7
2008	1276	88.0	14.5	16.3
2009	1297	88.0	14.7	13.6
2010	1325	87.0	15.2	n/a
2011	1376	86.5	15.9	11.4
2012	1402	86.9	16.1	10.4
2013	1457	82.5	17.6	10.3
2014	1484	82.9	17.8	8.7
2015	1471	85.0	17.3	7.5
2016	1465	88.0	16.6	7.4
2017	1453	77.9	18.6	6.8
2018	1417	80.0	17.7	7.2
2019	1384	79.0	17.5	8.6
2020	1382	79.5	17.3	6.1
2021	1287	77.0	16.7	6.5
2022	1223	82.6	14.7	6.1
2023	1216	80.0	15.2	6.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Ps 321 William Penn

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	930	56.0	16.6	n/a
1990	941	60.9	15.4	n/a
1991	1014	56.9	17.8	n/a
1992	1033	53.0	19.4	n/a
1993	1117	57.0	19.6	n/a
1994	1165	64.8	18.0	n/a
1995	1267	67.4	18.8	n/a
1996	1267	67.4	18.8	n/a
1997	1251	69.6	18.0	24.5
1998	1292	64.2	20.1	25.5
1999	1267	64.8	19.6	24.2
2000	1275	76.3	16.7	26.3
2001	1313	74.0	17.7	26.3
2002	1272	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	1272	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	1285	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	1264	80.0	15.8	0
2006	1270	81.0	15.7	18.7
2007	1263	88.5	14.3	17.7
2008	1276	88.0	14.5	16.3
2009	1297	88.0	14.7	13.6
2010	1325	87.0	15.2	n/a
2011	1376	86.5	15.9	11.4
2012	1402	86.9	16.1	10.4
2013	1457	82.5	17.6	10.3
2014	1484	82.9	17.8	8.7
2015	1471	85.0	17.3	7.5
2016	1465	88.0	16.6	7.4
2017	1453	77.9	18.6	6.8
2018	1417	80.0	17.7	7.2
2019	1384	79.0	17.5	8.6
2020	1382	79.5	17.3	6.1
2021	1287	77.0	16.7	6.5
2022	1223	82.6	14.7	6.1
2023	1216	80.0	15.2	6.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

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