P.S. 191 Paul Robeson
Grades PK-5 · 1600 PARK PLACE · Brooklyn
ELSI CAPOLONGO, Principal · 718-756-1206
schools.nyc.govAbout
P.S. 191 Paul Robeson is a small elementary school in Brooklyn, serving students from Pre-K through 5th grade. The school has a high percentage of students qualifying for economic need and a notably high population of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Academically, the school's English Language Arts proficiency is near the citywide median, while Math proficiency is a concern, falling below the 25th percentile for NYC schools. A significant area of concern is the school's chronic absenteeism rate, which is well above the 75th percentile citywide. Recent parent surveys indicate overwhelmingly positive sentiment regarding their child's education and school staff. However, older online reviews have expressed significant concerns about school administration and overall school culture. The school is known for its daily 'moment of silence,' a practice that has been noted for positively impacting student behavior and punctuality. P.S. 191 also emphasizes parent engagement through various workshops and offers free after-school programs, and students are required to wear uniforms.
Sources (12)
- P.S. 191 Paul Robeson Official Data · 2023-2024
- Ps 191 Paul Robeson in Brooklyn, NY | realtor.com® · 2013
- P.S. 191 - Paul Robeson in Brooklyn, NY - Niche · 2026
- Ps 191 Paul Robeson - 1600 Park Place, Brooklyn, NY | Trulia · 2012
- P.S. 191 Paul Robeson in Brooklyn, NY - Homes.com · N/A
- Ps 191 Paul Robeson, Brooklyn, NY, PK, K-5 Grade, 5 Reviews - Movoto · 2013
- P.S. 191 Paul Robeson (17K191) - NYC MySchools · N/A
- 2026 P.S. 191 - Paul Robeson Rankings - Niche · 2026
- P.S. 191 Paul Robeson - District 17 - InsideSchools · N/A
- 17K191/EMS - 2020-21 School Quality Snapshot - Online Edition - New York City Department of Education · 2020-2021
- P.S. 191 The Paul Robeson School - Google Sites · N/A
- Moment of Silence Spreads in NYC Public Schools | CrownHeights.info · 2017
Academics
Coursework, class size, and academic context.
Attendance rate
95%
Avg class size (general ed)
—
Avg class size (ICT)
17.5
Average class size by classroom setting: general education vs. ICT (Integrated Co-Teaching, where general- and special-education students learn together with two teachers). NYC DOE Class Size Report, 2021–22.
Community & climate
Demographics, attendance, school survey results, and DOE quality ratings.
Quality signals
Parent survey · overall positive
90%28% response rate
Survey topics
Family outreach96%city 94%
- School staff regularly communicate with me about how I can help my child learn.96%
- Teachers work closely with me to meet my child's needs.93%
- My child's school communicates with me in a language that I can understand.96%
- I am greeted warmly when I contact or visit the school.100%
- My child's school will make me aware if there are any concerns about my child’s social or emotional well-being.96%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (96%) is their average, vs 94% citywide.
Parent–teacher trust95%city 95%
- I feel respected by my child's teachers.96%
- Staff at this school work hard to build trusting relationships with parents/guardians like me.96%
- My child's teachers treat me as a partner in educating my child.92%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (95%) is their average, vs 95% citywide.
Show all survey topicsShow fewer
Effective School Leadership
Inclusive Leadership93%city 95%
- The principal/school leader at this school…puts decisions made with families into action.96%
- The principal/school leader at this school…works to create a sense of community in the school.91%
- The principal/school leader at this school…ensures families are comfortable communicating with the school.92%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (93%) is their average, vs 95% citywide.
Strong Family-Community Ties
Building Families' Capacity as their Child's Primary Teacher100%city 96%
- My child’s teachers give me helpful ideas about how I can support my child’s learning and development. [Birth-5].100%
- My child’s teachers let me know that I can make a difference in my child’s learning. [Birth-5].100%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (100%) is their average, vs 96% citywide.
Strong Relationships89%city 90%
- At this school, my child receives what they need to achieve their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goal(s). [Families of students with IEPs].89%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (89%) is their average, vs 90% citywide.
Parent Involvement in School77%city 71%
- Since the beginning of the school year, how often have you…communicated with your child's teachers about your child's performance?.93%
- Since the beginning of the school year, how often have you…seen your child’s projects, artwork, homework, tests, or quizzes?.100%
- My child’s teachers let me know that I can make a difference in my child’s learning. [Birth-5].100%
- I know how to contact the Parent Coordinator at my child’s school.16%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (77%) is their average, vs 71% citywide.
Trust
Parent-Principal Trust96%city 94%
- I feel respected by my child's principal/school leader.96%
- I trust the principal/school leader at their word (to do what they say that they will do).96%
- The principal/school leader is an effective manager who makes the school run smoothly.96%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (96%) is their average, vs 94% citywide.
Overall positive % is averaged across every Pos/Neg survey question per respondent group (school year 2023-2024). Survey topics are the DOE’s framework measures (each the average favorable response across its questions; expand a topic to see them and the citywide average); the dimension scores themselves are no longer in the public data file.[3]
Operational health
Attendance
95%
Chronic absenteeism
56%
Suspension rate
1%
Teachers[7]
Teachers with 4+ years' experience
68%
Students per teacher
6:1
Teaching out of certification
22%
Teacher experience and certification from the NYSED School Report Card (2024–25); students per teacher = enrollment ÷ reported teachers. Fewer than 4 years counts as inexperienced.
Student body
Race / ethnicity[4]
- Black 75%
- Hispanic 19%
- White 3%
- Multiracial 1%
School-level totals; may not sum to 100% due to rounding and small subgroup suppression.
Gender[4]
- Female 52%
- Male 48%
Female / male shares as published by the DOE; other gender identities aren’t reported in the source data.
Enrollment
137
Economic Need Index
94%
Free / reduced lunch
93%
English learners
4%
Students with IEPs
39%
Admissions
2 programs. Each has its own admissions method, and each track within a program has its own seats, demand, and priority order.
3-K - School Day
Program code 17K1913K · Cycle 2024-2025
5 applicants · 15 seats last year.
| priority group | Seats | Applicants | Apps / seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| General education | 15 | 5 | — |
↳ Students who live in the zone and have a sibling at the school. | — | — | — |
↳ Other students who live in the zone. | — | — | — |
↳ Students who live in the district and have a sibling at the school. | — | — | — |
↳ Students who live outside the district and have a sibling at the school. | — | — | — |
↳ Other students who live in the district. | — | — | — |
↳ All other applicants. | — | — | — |
Last year’s published figures. Schools make more offers than seats because not everyone enrolls, so offers can exceed seats. Counts under 10 are suppressed (shown as “<10”).
Pre-K - School Day
Program code 17K191PK · Cycle 2024-2025
10 applicants · 18 seats last year; every priority group with applicants received offers.
| priority group | Seats | Applicants | Apps / seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| General education | 18 | 10 | — |
↳ Current students. | 5 | 5 | 1.00 |
↳ Students who live in the zone and have a sibling at the school. | — | — | — |
↳ Other students who live in the zone. | — | — | — |
↳ Students who live in the district and have a sibling at the school. | — | — | — |
↳ Students who live outside the district and have a sibling at the school. | — | — | — |
↳ Other students who live in the district. | — | — | — |
↳ All other applicants. | — | — | — |
Last year’s published figures. Schools make more offers than seats because not everyone enrolls, so offers can exceed seats. Counts under 10 are suppressed (shown as “<10”).
How to read Apps / seat and where the outlook buckets come from is explained in our methodology.
Location & commute
Where the school is and how to get there.