While the fourth-grade classes at P.S. 89 ranked among the city’s most crowded, the Dept. of Education data showed that other area schools aren’t faring much better when it comes to class size. Every class in P.S. 89, I.S. 89, P.S. 150 and P.S. 234 was more crowded than the citywide average for that grade.
In addition to the fourth grade at P.S. 89, the kindergarten at P.S. 150 (28 students), the fifth grade at P.S. 234 (31.7 students/class) and the sixth and seventh grade at I.S. 89 (32.3 and 32, respectively) all sport particularly large classes.
As far as student to teacher ratio (not including special education teachers), P.S. 234 not only had the worst ratio in the neighborhood — its 19.2 to 1 fraction was among the 30 worst in the city. P.S. 234 also has the most crowded building in the area, at 120 percent capacity and climbing.
The good news is that all four schools continue to score well above city averages on standardized tests, as well. P.S. 234 and I.S. 89 also outscore so-called “similar schools” (schools with comparable size and socioeconomic makeup) on an annual basis.
City’s most crowded 4th grades
School Location 4th Grade Class Size
1 P.S. 195 Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn 37
2 P.S. 094 Little Neck, Queens 36.5
3 P.S. 89 Battery Park City, Manhattan 34
4 P.S. 026 Flushing, Queens 33.7
5 P.S. 018 Jamaica, Queens 33.5
City Average 23.8
B.P.C./Tribeca schools
Grade City Average P.S. 89 P.S. 150 P.S. 234
K 20.8 25* 28* 24
1 21.3 22.3 27 26.4
2 21 28.5 27 27
3 21.2 23.5 28 27.8
4 23.8 34* 27 24.5
5 25 25.5 25 31.7
Student/ 14.2 15.9 16.7 19.2
teacher ratio**
* indicates class that is at or over United Federation of Teachers contract limit.
** Excluding special ed instructors.
