International School of Brooklyn vs Kennedy International School
🇺🇸 New York · Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
Neither International School of Brooklyn nor Kennedy International School sits in a market with a public inspectorate, so both are assessed on verifiable accreditation, curriculum authorisation, and published data rather than an official quality rating. On cost, Kennedy International School has the noticeably lower entry fee — a material difference for budget-conscious families. See the table below for the figures, and verify against each school's own published fees.
Key Facts
| International School of Brooklyn | Kennedy International School | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | IB / Blended | IB / Blended / Japanese |
| Ages | 3–14 | 3–18 |
| Languages of instruction | English, French, Spanish | English, French, Japanese |
| Annual fees | USD 40,206–52,537 | USD 24,000–45,000 |
| Enrollment | 386 | — |
| Boarding | Day only | Day only |
| Accreditations | NYSAIS, AEFE, Mission Laïque Française, Spanish Ministry of Education | French Ministry of Education, AEFE, NYSED-recognized |
Strengths
- ✓Genuine dual-language immersion — a single French OR Spanish track from Pre-K, with a transparent, published target-language ratio by grade (100%→90%→75%→50%)
- ✓IB World School authorized for BOTH the PYP (Pre-K 3–Grade 5) and MYP (6th–8th) — a continuous IB framework across the whole Pre-K–8 span
- ✓Faculty teach in their native language (school-reported), reinforcing authentic linguistic and cultural fluency
- ✓Documented language and learning support — an English Language Coordinator, extra support for English/French/Spanish acquirers, and grade-band Learning Specialists
- ✓A third language is introduced in Grade 6, extending the multilingual model into Middle School
- ✓Long heritage (founded 1964) as one of New York's established bilingual international schools
- ✓Genuine dual-immersion model — two full bilingual tracks (French-English and Japanese-English), not token language classes
- ✓Accredited by the French Ministry of Education and in the AEFE network, enabling seamless transfer into the French school system
- ✓Authorized IB Diploma Programme school since 2014, offering a rare bilingual French/English IB Diploma with Spanish as a second language
- ✓Continuous pathway from nursery (age 3) through grade 12 on two Midtown Manhattan campuses
Trade-offs
- !Ends at Grade 8 — there is NO high school, no IB Diploma, and no secondary-exit credential; families must transfer for grades 9–12
- !Because it is Pre-K–8, there are no exit-exam results or university-placement data at all — outcomes must be judged on programme quality, not graduating results
- !Does NOT hold US regional accreditation (CIS or MSA); quality assurance runs through NYSAIS and the IB plus French/Spanish national networks
- !Immersion entry is language-gated in the upper primary years — applicants to Grades 1–5 must already speak, read and write French or Spanish at grade level
- !Premium Brooklyn day-school fees (up to $52,537 for Grades 6–8 in 2026–27), plus a $5,000 deposit and ancillary charges; day school only, no boarding
- !Holds no US regional accreditation (WASC, MSA, NEASC, or CIS) — its quality assurance runs through the French Ministry and NYSED recognition instead
- !Publishes no current total enrollment, student-teacher ratio, or class-size data on public pages
- !Does NOT publish IB Diploma score averages or pass rates — academic outcomes cannot be independently verified
- !Does NOT publish university-placement or matriculation data
- !No published, structured EAL/ESL program on public pages, despite an immersion intake (over 50% of elementary students were reported as non-French-speakers prior to enrolling)
Best Fit For
- • Families in Brooklyn seeking authentic French OR Spanish dual-language immersion from the early years within an IB framework
- • Internationally mobile or heritage-language families wanting bridges into the French (AEFE/Mlf) or Spanish education systems
- • Households prioritising a strong bilingual Pre-K-through-Grade-8 foundation and comfortable transferring for high school
- • Families who may need substantial need-based financial aid (a real, funded programme reaching about a third of students)
- • Francophone or francophile families wanting an authentic French-immersion education with transferability into the French system
- • Japanese expatriate and internationally-mobile families seeking a Japanese-English bilingual track in Manhattan
- • Families targeting a bilingual IB Diploma pathway (French/English) for grades 11–12
- • Diplomatic and UN-affiliated families based in Midtown (UN-staff discount available for the youngest grades)
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
Not applicable / not published. ISB is a Pre-K 3–8th Grade school with no high school, so there are no graduating cohorts, exit-exam results, or university destinations to report. Families should assess ISB on its early- and middle-years programme rather than on secondary outcomes, and plan a transfer for grades 9–12.
School-reported, unverified: Kennedy International School does not publish IB Diploma score averages, pass rates, or a university-placement/matriculation list on its public pages, so senior-school outcomes cannot be independently verified. Its French Ministry accreditation supports transfer into the French school system, but specific university destinations are not disclosed.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose International School of Brooklyn or Kennedy International School?
International School of Brooklyn is best for: Families in Brooklyn seeking authentic French OR Spanish dual-language immersion from the early years within an IB framework. Kennedy International School is best for: Francophone or francophile families wanting an authentic French-immersion education with transferability into the French system. The right choice depends on target curriculum, budget, and family priorities — the two are not linearly comparable.
How do fees compare between International School of Brooklyn and Kennedy International School?
International School of Brooklyn: USD 40,206–52,537. Kennedy International School: USD 24,000–45,000. Verify against each school's own published fees; some figures are sourced from third-party aggregators.
What curricula do International School of Brooklyn and Kennedy International School offer?
International School of Brooklyn: IB, Blended. Kennedy International School: IB, Blended, Japanese.
Do International School of Brooklyn or Kennedy International School offer boarding?
International School of Brooklyn: day school only. Kennedy International School: day school only.
Questions parents ask
This comparison is BrightKey's independent assessment using verifiable public data only. University-placement figures are school-reported and not independently verified. BrightKey takes no payments from schools. Our method →