Is Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented a good school?

Yes! Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 42 nd of 1504 New York middle schools.

How many students attend Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,211 students attended Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented.

What is the racial makeup of Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented?

Students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented are 38% White, 34% Asian, 11% Hispanic, 11% African American, 6% Two or more races.

Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Summary:

Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented is a public magnet middle school located in Brooklyn, New York, serving grades 6-8 with an enrollment of 1,207 students. This exceptional school consistently ranks among the top middle schools in New York state, with a statewide ranking between 7th and 50th over the past 10 years and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger in the 2023-2024 school year.

The school's students significantly outperform their peers in the district and state on standardized tests, with proficiency rates of 89.59% in English Language Arts and 94.39% in math for 6th graders, compared to 56.06% and 63.19% for the New York City Geographic District #21, respectively. Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented also excels in serving students from diverse backgrounds, ranking among the top 50 middle schools in New York for all major student subgroups. The school's higher per-student spending of $15,409 and lower student-teacher ratio of 16.2 suggest that it is able to allocate resources effectively to support student learning and provide a more personalized educational experience.

While Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented outperforms the surrounding schools in the district, there are a few other high-performing middle schools in the broader New York City area, such as Madeleine Brennan School (The) and Junior High School 234 Arthur W Cunningham, which also rank among the top middle schools in the state. Overall, Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented is an exceptional public middle school that consistently delivers outstanding academic outcomes for its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

2401 Neptune Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11224-2315

(718) 266-0814

District: New York City Geographic District #21

SchoolDigger Rank:
42^nd of 1,504 New York Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,409

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 1,211

Racial breakdown:

White:

37.7%

Asian:

33.7%

Hispanic:

11.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 47.6%

See top rated New York middle schools

Compare Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented ranks better than 97.2% of middle schools in New York. It also ranks 2^nd among 6 ranked middle schools in the New York City Geographic District #21. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 97.11. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (37.7%), Asian (33.7%), African American (11.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 47.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the New York City Geographic District #21. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented is 16.5. 4 middle schools in the New York City Geographic District #21 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented employs 73.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented is $15,409. 4 middle schools in the New York City Geographic District #21 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented:

SchoolDigger ranks Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented 42^nd of 1504 New York public middle schools. (See Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

New York City Geographic District #21:

SchoolDigger ranks New York City Geographic District #21 537^th of 865 New York school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented.

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Your rating for Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented?

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Rank History for Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

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Rank History for all students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2006	93.36	18^th	1095	98.4%
2007	92.13	16^th	1123	98.6%
2008	88.41	34^th	1185	97.1%
2009	85.40	41^st	1224	96.7%
2010	93.66	15^th	1243	98.8%
2011	94.90	14^th	1295	98.9%
2012	95.48	13^th	1337	99.0%
2013	98.30	11^th	1373	99.2%
2014	96.71	30^th	1401	97.9%
2015	98.79	13^th	1407	99.1%
2016	99.50	7^th	1429	99.5%
2017	99.31	13^th	1455	99.1%
2018	98.93	11^th	1438	99.2%
2019	98.59	29^th	1439	98.0%
2021	97.88	19^th	1242	98.5%
2022	97.22	37^th	1479	97.5%
2023	96.30	50^th	1500	96.7%
2024	97.11	42^nd	1504	97.2%

See the entire list of New York Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	91.24	12^th	107	88.8%
2019	92.05	5^th	126	96.0%
2021	90.97	11^th	95	88.4%
2022	91.41	12^th	190	93.7%
2024	89.62	21^st	220	90.5%

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

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	73.11	65^th	591	89.0%
2024	74.37	56^th	615	90.9%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	89.32	45^th	1170	96.2%
2019	85.06	81^st	1139	92.9%
2022	98.20	21^st	1283	98.4%
2023	90.72	66^th	1307	95.0%
2024	88.57	73^rd	1303	94.4%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	99.45	13^th	1245	99.0%
2019	99.15	25^th	1241	98.0%
2021	98.14	18^th	935	98.1%
2022	97.49	28^th	1306	97.9%
2023	96.53	41^st	1288	96.8%
2024	97.57	37^th	1296	97.1%

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

Rank History for Homeless students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2022	97.75	10^th	487	97.9%
2023	88.10	34^th	543	93.7%
2024	95.85	18^th	594	97.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	97.75	20^th	1353	98.5%
2019	97.80	29^th	1370	97.9%
2021	96.26	18^th	1066	98.3%
2022	95.71	44^th	1454	97.0%
2023	94.71	56^th	1463	96.2%
2024	95.53	49^th	1465	96.7%

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

Rank History for Military Connected students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	74.44	3^rd	14	78.6%

See the entire list of Best New York Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	99.24	9^th	1352	99.3%
2019	98.87	18^th	1366	98.7%
2021	98.26	11^th	1071	99.0%
2022	97.53	34^th	1455	97.7%
2023	96.47	43^rd	1464	97.1%
2024	97.36	33^rd	1464	97.7%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	89.33	14^th	374	96.3%
2019	89.13	21^st	369	94.3%
2021	86.48	17^th	236	92.8%
2022	89.22	17^th	381	95.5%
2023	84.62	36^th	388	90.7%
2024	86.59	26^th	396	93.4%

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

Rank History for African American students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	95.56	30^th	663	95.5%
2019	89.20	57^th	653	91.3%
2023	92.93	41^st	696	94.1%
2024	92.42	37^th	705	94.8%

See the entire list of Best New York Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	97.91	16^th	810	98.0%
2019	96.82	25^th	826	97.0%
2021	97.01	7^th	449	98.4%
2022	94.52	32^nd	914	96.5%
2023	91.92	45^th	943	95.2%
2024	94.93	40^th	953	95.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	97.57	12^th	763	98.4%
2019	97.28	16^th	716	97.8%
2021	96.08	9^th	614	98.5%
2022	93.26	36^th	748	95.2%
2023	92.19	39^th	772	94.9%
2024	93.61	28^th	778	96.4%

See the entire list of Best New York Middle 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: 3.5)

46%

23%

Reviews:

by a student
Saturday, October 22, 2022

lots of bullies Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, December 18, 2019

One of the best school my child loves the school Close Quote

by a student
Saturday, November 23, 2019

I absolutely LOVE this school. Enrichment classes are excellent and take place daily. All teachers are friendly and always help students in need of help. Talent classes are fun, interesting, and they instill a new world of information in the mind of the student. I come from Northern Queens and I can most definitely confirm that this school is worth any commute and I highly recommend it to any student looking for a nurturing education. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, June 26, 2019

My child liked this school somewhat more than I did.There were many teachers whom she adored, thankfully relating directly to her talent. Some examples:
1) She had a teacher in Eng. who did nothing but talk about herself. By the end of the year we knew multiple iterations of stories of her family, her pets, her vacations, etc.
2) She had a Soc. Studies teacher who did not stick to the curriculum or check tests/homeworks. Kids in our class were significantly behind their peers in accumulated knowledge, and their average class grade was lower than it could have been due to all the unchecked work. When asked when he would get the tests checked the teacher typically answered "I'll get to it when I get to it". Never happened. Complained to the assistant principal who promised she would observe the class and take action. Nothing was done.
3) She had a homeroom teacher who frequently told kids he hated them. Screamed and growled at them in classrooms and hallways. Would not sit through a yearbook interview, barking rude answers and generally acting inappropriate.
Each teacher demanded the child have a binder with their separate work and never toss things from it. Our backpack weighed close to 25 lbs and contributed in a major way to the scoliosis and severe back pain my child is now being treated for. This has been a complaint from numerous people over many years. Nothing is being done about it.
I hope the school administration takes this feedback to heart and decides to implement at least some changes. This school is great but can be so much greater. Close Quote

by a student
Thursday, March 21, 2019

I go here currently, and overall, it's pretty good. There are some bad teachers (one of the Spanish teachers), and the bathrooms are insane dirty, but besides that, I guess its nice. Close Quote

by a student
Thursday, October 27, 2016

AWFUL!!! Don't send your child here if you want your wonderful, creative, hopeful kid turned into a mindless, exhausted zombie. Bullying from both teachers and students. Nobody seems to care about anything. All there is = a gigantic class size (40 kids???) and nothing is really worth it. Sometimes, not even the talent programs (the science talent teacher is reportedly insane). Close Quote

by a student
Sunday, September 28, 2014

This School Is Nothing Special. I am graduating this year and listen to me, its not that good. There are teachers that care, and some just dont. I dont know why this school has 5 stars Close Quote

by a student
Monday, December 23, 2013

this school is awesome! I go there and you get to work on your talent at LEAST 45 minutes a day, and on your scheduled time, 90 minutes a day on a certain day! This school is also ranked 10 in ALL middle schools and the teachers are phenomenal! GO MARK TWAIN CHAMPS Close Quote

by a student
Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Mark Twain IS239 School For The Gifted And Talented is an excellent school, the best, in my opinion. It ranges in personalities of both teachers and students. The teachers love to teach in Mark Twain and the students love to learn. They learn to socialize but in a cooperative and academic way at the same time. There's always time for fun and games in Mark Twain, but it isn't the top middle school for nothing! It feeds its students to the prestigious high school, Stuyvesant, and offers many extra curricular activities both after school and during school. Overall Mark Twain is rated the top middle school, and it isn't just because of grades! Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, September 22, 2011

no that great. its just good. Close Quote

by a student on FaceBook
Saturday, September 10, 2011

The school is awesome! Close Quote

by a student
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

It's not as great as many make it out to be.
When you hear about the great test scores, those are coming from the smart kids, generally in the academic talents.
What's hidden is the other test grades. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	617	130	174	137	0	n/a	n/a	1058
1990	648	161	181	155	0	n/a	n/a	1145
1991	645	188	204	189	0	n/a	n/a	1226
1992	704	195	211	154	4	n/a	n/a	1268
1993	684	165	209	125	2	n/a	n/a	1185
1994	762	159	208	109	2	n/a	n/a	1240
1995	737	109	245	98	5	n/a	n/a	1194
1996	737	109	245	98	5	n/a	n/a	1194
1997	719	94	267	74	4	n/a	n/a	1158
1998	707	119	283	92	1	n/a	n/a	1202
1999	687	164	292	102	0	n/a	n/a	1245
2000	668	175	294	117	0	n/a	n/a	1254
2001	660	206	272	115	0	n/a	n/a	1253
2002	680	168	307	117	2	n/a	n/a	1274
2003	680	168	307	117	2	n/a	n/a	1274
2004	685	143	344	108	2	n/a	n/a	1282
2005	656	139	363	74	0	n/a	n/a	1232
2006	656	134	346	72	2	n/a	n/a	1210
2007	691	128	350	76	2	n/a	n/a	1247
2008	721	101	353	75	2	n/a	n/a	1252
2009	712	108	396	72	3	n/a	n/a	1291
2010	682	109	414	72	3	n/a	n/a	1280
2011	675	131	440	81	3	0	0	1330
2012	658	133	410	79	1	0	0	1281
2013	638	159	376	85	1	0	6	1265
2014	692	142	393	77	0	0	11	1315
2015	704	119	362	72	1	0	42	1300
2016	724	97	375	68	1	0	79	1344
2017	681	80	339	71	3	2	95	1271
2018	682	90	364	75	2	4	106	1323
2019	684	85	355	95	2	3	113	1337
2020	685	83	372	99	2	5	104	1350
2021	687	80	353	120	4	5	86	1335
2022	582	122	336	126	7	5	78	1256
2023	506	143	330	140	5	5	78	1207
2024	456	134	408	135	5	6	67	1211

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 Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1058	67.0	15.7	n/a
1990	1145	71.1	16.1	n/a
1991	1226	80.1	15.3	n/a
1992	1268	74.0	17.1	n/a
1993	1185	74.2	16.0	n/a
1994	1240	72.1	17.2	n/a
1995	1194	71.1	16.8	n/a
1996	1194	71.1	16.8	n/a
1997	1158	72.0	16.1	30.1
1998	1202	74.0	16.2	30.9
1999	1245	76.7	16.2	34.9
2000	1254	80.0	15.7	48.7
2001	1253	80.1	15.6	50.2
2002	1274	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	1274	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	1282	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	1232	n/a	n/a	0
2006	1210	75.0	16.1	49.3
2007	1247	78.5	15.9	49.6
2008	1252	78.3	16.0	45.8
2009	1291	77.1	16.7	43.4
2010	1280	73.0	17.5	n/a
2011	1330	69.0	19.2	42
2012	1281	63.0	20.3	38.3
2013	1265	68.0	18.6	40.2
2014	1315	68.0	19.3	37.6
2015	1300	71.0	18.3	30
2016	1344	74.0	18.1	27.4
2017	1271	72.9	17.4	27
2018	1323	67.2	19.6	38.2
2019	1337	74.0	18.0	35.3
2020	1350	78.0	17.3	37.7
2021	1335	78.0	17.1	38.2
2022	1256	76.5	16.4	43.5
2023	1207	74.4	16.2	43.7
2024	1211	73.2	16.5	47.6

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 Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	1058	67.0	15.7	n/a
1990	1145	71.1	16.1	n/a
1991	1226	80.1	15.3	n/a
1992	1268	74.0	17.1	n/a
1993	1185	74.2	16.0	n/a
1994	1240	72.1	17.2	n/a
1995	1194	71.1	16.8	n/a
1996	1194	71.1	16.8	n/a
1997	1158	72.0	16.1	30.1
1998	1202	74.0	16.2	30.9
1999	1245	76.7	16.2	34.9
2000	1254	80.0	15.7	48.7
2001	1253	80.1	15.6	50.2
2002	1274	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	1274	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	1282	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	1232	n/a	n/a	0
2006	1210	75.0	16.1	49.3
2007	1247	78.5	15.9	49.6
2008	1252	78.3	16.0	45.8
2009	1291	77.1	16.7	43.4
2010	1280	73.0	17.5	n/a
2011	1330	69.0	19.2	42
2012	1281	63.0	20.3	38.3
2013	1265	68.0	18.6	40.2
2014	1315	68.0	19.3	37.6
2015	1300	71.0	18.3	30
2016	1344	74.0	18.1	27.4
2017	1271	72.9	17.4	27
2018	1323	67.2	19.6	38.2
2019	1337	74.0	18.0	35.3
2020	1350	78.0	17.3	37.7
2021	1335	78.0	17.1	38.2
2022	1256	76.5	16.4	43.5
2023	1207	74.4	16.2	43.7
2024	1211	73.2	16.5	47.6

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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