Catherine & Count Basie Middle School 72

The school’s proficiency rates — 37.3% in ELA and 27.4% in math — sit well below the Queens District 28 averages of roughly 63% in both subjects, placing it among the lower-performing middle schools in the borough. However, the historical trend shows genuine progress: ELA climbed from 18.2% in 2016 to a peak of 43.2% in 2023 (though it has slipped back to 37.3% in 2025), while math more than doubled from 11.5% to 34.3% over the same period before settling at 27.4%. Grade 8 outperforms significantly (52.3% ELA, 30.8% math), suggesting older students benefit from time in the building, while Grade 6 shows the steepest challenges (17.7% math). The school’s overall score of 1.29 out of 4 reflects the distance it still needs to travel to match district expectations.

The climate data tells a complicated story. On the relationship side, the numbers are exceptional: 96% of families report satisfaction, 96% trust teachers, and an astonishing 98% trust the principal — far exceeding district averages. Teachers also report strong trust in leadership (91%) and decent instruction quality (86%), though collegial trust among staff is lower at 67%. The attendance picture is concerning: an 88.3% attendance rate (below the 91.4% district average) with over half of students chronically absent is a structural challenge. Discipline data shows a worsening trend — suspensions rose from 4 in 2021-22 to 11 in 2023-24, now triple the district average rate. This combination suggests a school where families who engage feel very supported, but where a significant portion of students and families are struggling to show up consistently or manage behavioral expectations.

The student body is 67% Black and 16% Hispanic, with 8% Asian and 8% Native American students, reflecting the neighborhood’s demographics. Twenty-eight percent of students have IEPs, and 76% qualify for free or reduced lunch — a high economic need index that shapes the school’s challenges. At 251 students across three grades, it’s a small school with class sizes averaging 24.5, nearly identical to the district average. The diversity index of 56% indicates moderate demographic variety, though the population is predominantly Black in a neighborhood where median household income is $74,543 and homeownership is 37.3%.

Springfield Gardens is a working-to-middle-class neighborhood in southeastern Queens known for its quiet residential streets, local churches, and family-oriented feel. The area has modest transit access (scoring only 37 out of 100) and a safety score of 61, with some crime density concerns. The education orientation score of 30.65 suggests this isn’t a neighborhood where families prioritize school selection the way they might in nearby Jamaica Estates or Flushing. There are local parks and the neighborhood has a community feel, though it lacks the amenities of more affluent areas. It’s a place where people stay for the affordability and the roots, not for the cultural institutions.

families primarily arrive by car or bus; the area has limited subway access and is more car-dependent than many parts of Queens