Is Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) a good school?

Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) ranks 1259 th of 2445 New York elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)?

In the 2023-24 school year, 586 students attended Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The).

What is the racial makeup of Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)?

Students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) are 75% Hispanic, 17% Asian, 7% White.

What schools do graduates of Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) attend?

Students who attend Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) usually go on to attend: Middle : Junior High School 220 John J Pershing High : Fort Hamilton High School

Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Summary:

Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) is an elementary school in Brooklyn, New York, serving 630 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the New York City Geographic District #20, which is ranked 242 out of 865 districts in the state, but the school itself has consistently underperformed compared to the district and state averages.

Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating below-average performance. The school's students consistently score lower than their peers in the district and state on English Language Arts (ELA) and Math assessments, with proficiency rates ranging from 38.89% to 51.95% across different grade levels and subjects. However, the school's English Language Learner and Special Education students perform relatively well, ranking in the top 20% and top 30% of New York elementary schools, respectively. The school's low-income students, who make up over 94% of the student population, struggle the most, with the school ranking in the bottom 50% of New York elementary schools for this subgroup.

Despite the school's challenges, it has a relatively high per-student spending of $26,804 and a low student-teacher ratio of 8.2, suggesting that the school may have the resources to improve. The school is also located in close proximity to several other elementary schools, some of which outperform Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The), while others underperform. By focusing on strengthening its curriculum, instructional practices, and support systems for struggling students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, the school may be able to improve its academic outcomes and better serve its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public K-5

330 59th St
Brooklyn, NY 11220

(718) 439-5962

District: New York City Geographic District #20

SchoolDigger Rank:
1259^th of 2,445 New York Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $26,804

Students who attend Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) usually attend:

Middle:	Junior High School 220 John J Pershing
High:	Fort Hamilton High School

Student/teacher ratio: 8.9

Number of students: 586

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

75.4%

Asian:

16.9%

White:

6.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 95.9%

See top rated New York elementary schools

Compare Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) ranks worse than 51.5% of elementary schools in New York. It also ranks 27^th among 31 ranked elementary schools in the New York City Geographic District #20. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.83. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (75.4%), Asian (16.9%), White (6.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 95.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) is 8.9, which is the 3^rd best among 31 elementary schools in the New York City Geographic District #20. (See more...)

Compare Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) employs 65.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) is $26,804, which is the 2^nd highest among 31 elementary schools in the New York City Geographic District #20.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The):

SchoolDigger ranks Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) 1259^th of 2445 New York public elementary schools. (See Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The) in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

New York City Geographic District #20:

SchoolDigger ranks New York City Geographic District #20 242^nd of 865 New York school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The).

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Rank History for Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

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Rank History for all students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2008	18.50	1941^st	2227	12.8%
2009	24.37	1910^th	2257	15.4%
2010	12.55	2081^st	2263	8.0%
2011	16.51	2008^th	2286	12.2%
2012	18.37	1991^st	2320	14.2%
2013	18.41	2012^th	2325	13.5%
2014	25.80	1834^th	2345	21.8%
2015	23.01	1864^th	2352	20.7%
2016	18.75	2026^th	2366	14.4%
2017	19.37	2020^th	2386	15.3%
2018	31.53	1710^th	2395	28.6%
2019	37.01	1514^th	2413	37.3%
2021	24.49	1765^th	2201	19.8%
2022	34.24	1650^th	2434	32.2%
2023	45.86	1284^th	2439	47.4%
2024	45.83	1259^th	2445	48.5%

See the entire list of New York Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	60.03	242^nd	938	74.2%
2019	54.26	275^th	860	68.0%
2021	45.63	222^nd	454	51.1%
2022	64.67	222^nd	1027	78.4%
2023	55.57	296^th	1001	70.4%
2024	65.42	200^th	1066	81.2%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	52.16	708^th	1941	63.5%
2019	62.43	403^rd	1859	78.3%
2022	45.82	920^th	2031	54.7%
2023	54.89	649^th	2016	67.8%
2024	60.96	554^th	2110	73.7%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	41.43	1162^nd	2045	43.2%
2019	47.74	949^th	2032	53.3%
2022	43.53	1109^th	2099	47.2%
2023	63.83	578^th	2041	71.7%
2024	45.41	1030^th	2078	50.4%

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

Rank History for Homeless students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	52.27	285^th	730	61.0%
2019	61.61	144^th	570	74.7%
2021	26.89	58^th	70	17.1%
2022	54.33	230^th	622	63.0%
2023	63.10	181^st	637	71.6%
2024	59.64	216^th	766	71.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	30.13	1753^rd	2338	25.0%
2019	35.74	1539^th	2357	34.7%
2021	28.98	1476^th	1955	24.5%
2022	30.17	1748^th	2401	27.2%
2023	42.77	1360^th	2403	43.4%
2024	40.16	1440^th	2413	40.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	34.70	1602^nd	2340	31.5%
2019	37.97	1461^st	2358	38.0%
2021	19.84	1674^th	1961	14.6%
2022	39.83	1464^th	2400	39.0%
2023	49.28	1169^th	2400	51.3%
2024	53.72	1045^th	2411	56.7%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	46.92	389^th	601	35.3%
2019	56.27	280^th	548	48.9%
2022	48.43	400^th	671	40.4%
2023	55.19	302^nd	605	50.1%
2024	46.39	404^th	662	39.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	32.61	1002^nd	1392	28.0%
2019	36.90	820^th	1315	37.6%
2021	24.51	677^th	818	17.2%
2022	31.63	1097^th	1503	27.0%
2023	40.49	849^th	1429	40.6%
2024	46.42	744^th	1531	51.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	34.36	1014^th	1408	28.0%

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, September 7, 2016

My daughter's will be entering as 2nd and 3rd graders this year. Both are reading past grade level and are past grade level in Math. The teachers we've had thus far have been amazing. The school community is better than I could ever have imagined and the entire staff works tirelessly to include families in their children's education. Not only do our children benefit by their hard work, but we do! I love PS503!! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Ps 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2007	34	12	102	611	4	n/a	n/a	763
2008	27	11	109	621	0	n/a	n/a	768
2009	26	11	125	644	0	n/a	n/a	806
2010	28	7	168	641	0	n/a	n/a	844
2011	24	8	177	682	0	0	0	891
2012	29	9	166	738	1	0	1	944
2013	32	10	182	761	2	0	3	990
2014	36	9	174	804	2	0	3	1028
2015	35	9	193	824	2	0	2	1065
2016	51	16	212	845	2	0	3	1129
2017	58	10	205	817	1	0	3	1094
2018	52	6	224	794	2	0	3	1081
2019	46	6	200	738	0	1	1	992
2020	51	5	185	699	1	1	3	945
2021	45	3	169	635	1	1	3	857
2022	46	4	138	547	2	1	4	742
2023	56	3	111	454	1	0	5	630
2024	39	0	99	442	3	0	3	586

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 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	763	59.0	12.9	n/a
2008	768	66.0	11.6	0
2009	806	75.0	10.7	91.6
2010	844	78.0	10.8	n/a
2011	891	82.0	10.8	96.5
2012	944	80.5	11.7	95.8
2013	990	92.3	10.7	95.6
2014	1028	86.0	11.9	95.9
2015	1065	84.0	12.6	96.4
2016	1129	100.0	11.2	95
2017	1094	98.1	11.1	96.2
2018	1081	94.0	11.4	96.2
2019	992	94.0	10.5	94.4
2020	945	83.0	11.3	93.7
2021	857	78.0	10.9	94.9
2022	742	82.0	9.0	92.2
2023	630	76.2	8.2	94.3
2024	586	65.3	8.9	95.9

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 503 School Of Discovery (The)

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	763	59.0	12.9	n/a
2008	768	66.0	11.6	0
2009	806	75.0	10.7	91.6
2010	844	78.0	10.8	n/a
2011	891	82.0	10.8	96.5
2012	944	80.5	11.7	95.8
2013	990	92.3	10.7	95.6
2014	1028	86.0	11.9	95.9
2015	1065	84.0	12.6	96.4
2016	1129	100.0	11.2	95
2017	1094	98.1	11.1	96.2
2018	1081	94.0	11.4	96.2
2019	992	94.0	10.5	94.4
2020	945	83.0	11.3	93.7
2021	857	78.0	10.9	94.9
2022	742	82.0	9.0	92.2
2023	630	76.2	8.2	94.3
2024	586	65.3	8.9	95.9

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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