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Science, Technology and Research Early College High School at Erasmus

Grades: 6-12
Staff Pick

Our Insights

What’s Special

Students take courses at Brooklyn College; CTE program in electrical engineering

The Downside

Pace of academics may be too fast for some, though the school offers lots of support for all

The Science, Technology and Research Early College School at Erasmus (STAR) is a combined middle and high school that gives students a leg up on college. Junior and seniors take courses for free at Brooklyn College with many earning at least a years worth of college credits before graduation. The school has a pleasant environment, accelerated academics and a program in electrical engineering that all students participate in beginning in 8th grade.

There’s a nice vibe and sense of community at STAR. Attendance is very high and students are calm and engaged in their classes. Students feel safe and respected, parents say there’s strong communication between staff and families, and teachers collaborate well, based on responses to the NYC School Survey.  

We observed a mix of teaching methods. Some were traditional and highly structured with students sitting in rows and responding to questions posed by the teacher. In others, group work and student-led discussions were more the norm. For instance, in a 7th grade social studies class students worked together reading and discussing a range of topics in European history such as the Renaissance, trade routes and the spread of Christianity. In an Advanced Placement English class, students posed questions to each other and offered insightful comments about a passage from their class-wide reading of Ta-Nehisi Coate’s Between the World and Me.

Instruction is accelerated and the goal is for students to complete all of the required Regents exams by the 10th grade so they are ready to focus on college level work beginning in 11th grade. Many students earn high school credit by the end of 8th grade by taking Regents exams in algebra and living environment.

The early college program starts in earnest in 11th grade, though 9th-graders attend six-week-long seminars at Brooklyn College where they spend their entire Fridays sampling courses. Highly motivated juniors and seniors may end up spending most of their time at Brooklyn College taking courses such as psychology, theater, anthropology, and advanced math and science. The school also offers Advanced Placement courses beginning in the 9th grade.

Two fulltime staffers are located at Brooklyn College to coordinate the early college component and provide support to 11th- and 12th-graders, helping them select classes, communicate with professors and providing tutoring and small group study groups at the college.

All kids are pushed, but not all progress at the same pace. To ensure teachers have time to address the range of skill levels, middle school class sizes in English and math are kept small at roughly 18-20. Struggling students also get extra help on Saturdays. Class assignments are based on student abilities, rather than their age or grade. So, a high school trigonometry class may include some very advanced 8th-graders as well 11th- and 12th-graders who need to shore up their skills.

The electrical engineering program, which starts in 8th grade, is impressive, with two dedicated labs filled with industrial grade equipment. Students enjoy fun, hands-on learning and lots of reinforcement of math, science and coding skills. In an introductory course we observed, 8th-graders engaged and happy as they learned the low-tech skill of stripping wires. “It’s an amazing class,” said one student. “When I first walked in here I thought I was in an Iron Man movie because of all the technology.“ In high school, students work with the more heavy duty and computerized equipment. 

STAR is housed on few floors in a wing of the Erasmus Hall High School Campus Building. Middle school students have sports teams, band and other after-school activities. High school students may participate in campus-wide PSAL sports and beginning in 9th grade take additional courses after school in subjects such as culinary arts, engineering and technology through a partnership with Brooklyn STEAM.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: The school has ICT (Integrated Collaborative Teaching) classes and SETSS. (Laura Zingmond, October 2017)

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School Stats

Citywide Average Key
This school is Better Near Worse than the citywide average

Is this school safe and well-run?

From the 2024-2025 NYC School Survey

How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
80%
82% Citywide Average
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
56%
53% Citywide Average
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
81%
84% Citywide Average
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
88%
82% Citywide Average

From this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Are teachers effective?

From the 2024-25 School Quality Report

How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
97%
80% Citywide Average
Years of principal experience at this school
2.2

How do students perform academically?

From the New York State 2024-2025 Assessment Database

How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
77%
49% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
82%
52% Citywide Average

From the 2024-25 School Quality Guide

How many 8th-graders earn high school credit?
81%
51% Citywide Average
How many students graduate in 4 years?
99%
92% Citywide Average

Who does this school serve?

From the 2024-25 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
585
Asian
3%
Black
77%
Hispanic
13%
White
3%
Other
4%
Free or reduced priced lunch
78%
Students with disabilities
11%
English language learners
1%

From the 2024-25 School Quality Guide

Average daily attendance
98%
91% Citywide Average
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
2%
28% Citywide Average

How does this school serve special populations?

From the 2024-25 School Quality Report

How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
100%
85% Citywide Average

From the New York State 2024-2025 Assessment Database

How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
0%
19% Citywide Average
How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
0%
19% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
0%
8% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
0%
3% Citywide Average
For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Programs & Admissions

From the 2024 High School Directory

Science, Technology, and Research Early College School at Erasmus

Admissions Method: Screened With Assessment

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

911 Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn NY 11226

Trains: B Line, Q Line to Church Av

Buses: B103, B12, B16, B35, B41, B44, B44-SBS, B49, BM1, BM2, BM3, BM4


Contact

Principal: Daniel Holmes

Parent Coordinator: Dorrett Young

Phone: 718-564-2540

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the Erasmus Hall Educational Campus with four other schools

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? Yes

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