District 17
District 17 includes parts of Crown Heights, East Flatbush, and Brownsville. It's home to longtime Black and Caribbean communities, growing Orthodox Jewish and Eastern European populations, and Latino residents.
Families choose from district public schools and charter schools, while the Orthodox Jewish community primarily attends private yeshivas, which serve their religious and educational needs. Some local public schools are seeing enrollment drops and are working to attract new families. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Medgar Evers College enrich the district’s educational and community life.
PS 189 (K-8) is a Spanish dual language school in Crown Heights where students speak primarily Haitian-Creole and Spanish. PS 249 (Pre-k-5) is known for strong academics and special education support. PS 770 New American Academy (Pre-K-5) uses a hands-on, exploratory learning approach, and has a rare no homework policy.
The district has several charter schools, most of which belong to established networks like Achievement First, Success Academy, and Explore.
View all District 17 elementary schools here and middle schools here.
District 17 Contacts
Superintendent:
For individual parent concerns, contact:
For help with PTAs or district-wide events, contact:
Enrollment:
To enroll your child, go to the school or the nearest enrollment office, not the district office.
Family Welcome Center
Community Education Council:
District 17 office
Special Education:
Most questions about special education can be answered by your child's teacher or principal. If you are new to New York City or your child attends private or parochial school, contact the nearest Committee on Special Education for an evaluation.
