Mary McDowell Friends School - Revealing Brilliance

REVEALING

in Students with Learning Disabilities

At Mary McDowell Friends School, we believe that special education is excellent education.
Mary McDowell Friends School has been a leader in special education for 40 years. We know that students with learning disabilities succeed in school when they’re given the attention 
and specialized teaching they need. Our K-12, college-prep curriculum focuses on revealing brilliance in every student. 

We focus on a student’s potential, not their deficits.
SCHOOL DIVISIONS
One school. Three divisions.
Mary McDowell Friends School offers a top-tier education, athletics, arts, and extra-curriculars. Each division has its own building in one of Brooklyn’s most beautiful and vibrant neighborhoods: Cobble Hill (Lower School, K-5), Carroll Gardens (Middle School, 6-8), Brooklyn Heights (Upper School, 9-12).
GETTING STARTED WITH ADMISSIONS
Reveal your brilliance
by attending MMFS.
Students Best Served by MMFS
Learn about the students who benefit from a Mary McDowell Friends School education, and how we define and support learning disabilities.
Attend a Parent Info Session
Join us for a one-hour virtual overview of our program with staff and administrators.
How to Apply to MMFS
Here’s what you need to know and need to have in order to apply to Mary McDowell Friends School.
Tuition and Affordability
Learn about MMFS financial assistance, DOE tuition reimbursement, and other ways to access the high-quality education your child deserves.

the STUDENTS
BEST SERVED.

Mary McDowell Friends School empowers bright students diagnosed with Dyslexia ✵ Dysgraphia ✵ ADHD ✵ Dyscalculia ✵ NVLD ✵ and Language or Auditory Processing Disorders to succeed academically, through specialized support, expert teaching, and small classes.
Welcome to a
brilliant future.
Mary McDowell Friends School is a K–12 Quaker school dedicated to the success of students with learning disabilities. We offer an academically rigorous college preparatory program along with athletics, performing and visual arts, and opportunities for travel. MMFS graduates are accepted at competitive colleges and universities.
MMFS BY THE NUMBERS
Where potential finds a path.
When you join MMFS, you become part of a close-knit community of 400 students and 226 dedicated faculty and staff. With small classes—an average of just 6 students per teacher—and a strong support team that includes OTs, PTs, social workers, and specialists, MMFS creates a challenging and nurturing environment where students with learning disabilities thrive. Whether your passion is music, math, soccer, science, research, or reading, MMFS helps every student reach their full potential.
That’s why the 45 students in the Class of 2025 received
more than 250 college acceptances.
students
across all
three divisions
6:1
average
student : teacher ratio
faculty & staff
across all
three divisions

middle & upper
school sports
teams

arts events annually:
4 art shows, 6 concerts, and
3 fully mounted theater productions

clubs, extracurriculars,
and workshops to
participate in
MMFS Stories
Revealing brilliance
in every student.

apply today

We're still accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year!

There’s still time to apply! If you're exploring options for the 2025–2026 school year, we encourage you to connect with a member of our admissions team to learn more about our program and availability.