P.S. 173

FEBRUARY 2016 UPDATE: PS 173 has a "fantastic, energetic" new principal, Rachael Garcia, who "really wants to turn the school around," a prospective parent told us after a tour. The school has "huge, bright, very well stocked classrooms, with very nice, clean furnishings and equipment. The music room has towering ceilings, and gigantic picture windows with a million dollar view of the GW bridge."

OCTOBER 2013 REVIEW:

Enrollment and test scores have declined over the years at PS 173, a pre-K - 5 school that has served generations of Spanish-speaking families from the largely Dominican neighborhood.

One-quarter of the population is made up of children who are either still learning English or eligible for special education services. These students are assisted by specially trained teachers inside their regular classrooms or outside in large, sunny alcoves framed by glass tiles in the well-maintained building.

The school faces some challenges. Eleven percent of the student body live in temporary housing according to data on WNYC's Schoolbook website. The Learning Environment Survey shows some friction between Principal Dawn Boursiquot and her teachers: sixty-one percent do not feel the principal is an effective manager.

Parents and teachers report below average satisfaction in the areas of safety, communication, engagement and academics.

Teachers have more experience at PS 173 than at most public schools. They are working to make sure the Everyday Math program is aligned with the common core standards with the help of a math coach, according to the school's yearly plan. A literacy coach is helping teachers boost reading scores.

Special education: PS 173 has Spanish-English bilingual team-taught classes.

Admissions: Neighborhood school (Lydie Raschka, DOE data, October 2013)