International School of Brooklyn vs Léman Manhattan Preparatory School
🇺🇸 New York · Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
Neither International School of Brooklyn nor Léman Manhattan Preparatory 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. Curriculum is the core differentiator: International School of Brooklyn offers IB, Blended while Léman Manhattan Preparatory School offers IB, American — the choice should follow the family's target qualification system. One practical difference: Léman Manhattan Preparatory School offers boarding while the other is day-only — decisive for families who need a residential option. Verify current fees against each school's own figures (see the table below).
Key Facts
| International School of Brooklyn | Léman Manhattan Preparatory School | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | IB / Blended | IB / American |
| Ages | 3–14 | 1–18 |
| Languages of instruction | English, French, Spanish | English |
| Annual fees | USD 40,206–52,537 | USD 70,700–72,000 (Kindergarten–Grade 12) |
| Enrollment | 386 | 750 |
| Boarding | Day only | Yes |
| Accreditations | NYSAIS, AEFE, Mission Laïque Française, Spanish Ministry of Education | MSA, NYSAIS |
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
- ✓Full vertical continuity under one operator: 12 months through Grade 12, across two purpose-fitted Financial District campuses
- ✓Recognized regional accreditation — Middle States (MSA), accredited through 2031 — plus NYSAIS, ISAAGNY and Parents League membership
- ✓IB Diploma capstone with flexibility (full IB Diploma or individual IB Course Certificates)
- ✓New York City's only residential boarding program (launched 2012) — a genuinely rare offering for a U.S. day school
- ✓Highly international community (100+ nationalities reported) with a small published average class size of 18
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
- !Does NOT publish IB average scores or a verified university-destination list — the headline '80% accepted to highly selective colleges' is school-reported and unverifiable
- !Full IB PYP/MYP continuum is claimed by third-party directories but NOT confirmed on the school's own pages, which describe only an 'IB approach' culminating in the DP
- !Among the most expensive schools in the sample — Kindergarten–Grade 10 at USD 70,700 and Grades 11–12 at USD 72,000 for 2026-27
- !Boarding tuition is not published on the official site (third-party directories cite figures near USD 89,000–95,000 all-in, unverified)
- !The only public enrollment figure (~750) is a 2016-17 third-party number; no current official total is published
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)
- • Families in or relocating to Lower Manhattan wanting a single K–12 (indeed toddler-to-18) independent school
- • Families specifically seeking a U.S.-based day school with a genuine residential boarding option
- • Internationally mobile households valuing an IB Diploma pathway and a multinational student body
- • Families who can absorb premium Manhattan private-school fees (financial aid is available from Kindergarten)
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: the school states that 80% of graduates are accepted to highly selective colleges, and that IB Diploma students are 'more than 20% more likely' to be admitted to the most prestigious universities. No IB average score, pass rate, or itemized university-destination list is published.
More Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose International School of Brooklyn or Léman Manhattan Preparatory 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. Léman Manhattan Preparatory School is best for: Families in or relocating to Lower Manhattan wanting a single K–12 (indeed toddler-to-18) independent school. 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 Léman Manhattan Preparatory School?
International School of Brooklyn: USD 40,206–52,537. Léman Manhattan Preparatory School: USD 70,700–72,000 (Kindergarten–Grade 12). Verify against each school's own published fees; some figures are sourced from third-party aggregators.
What curricula do International School of Brooklyn and Léman Manhattan Preparatory School offer?
International School of Brooklyn: IB, Blended. Léman Manhattan Preparatory School: IB, American.
Do International School of Brooklyn or Léman Manhattan Preparatory School offer boarding?
International School of Brooklyn: day school only. Léman Manhattan Preparatory School: offers boarding.
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 →