At a Glance
A small, highly diverse public school in the heart of transit-rich Jamaica.
Best suited for
Families who want a small, ethnically diverse school in a transit-rich Queens neighborhood and are willing to confirm academic fit and grade-range structure directly with administrators before enrolling.
What stands out
- A genuinely diverse student body with no single racial or ethnic group holding a majority
- Economic need index of 49.9 — meaningfully below the citywide average, suggesting families aren't concentrated at the lower end of the income spectrum
- Small total enrollment of 277 creates a tight-knit feel uncommon at most NYC public schools
- Three subway lines within a roughly 13-minute walk, making the commute flexible from most of Queens
- Class size of 23.1 matches the district average exactly, so instruction isn't squeezed
Things to consider
- No published ELA, math, or science proficiency scores in this snapshot, so academic outcomes can't be benchmarked against district peers right now
- The school's listed grade range stretches from Pre-K through 12 — an unusually broad span worth confirming directly with administrators to understand how the school actually operates
- Jamaica's poverty rate (~17%) runs above the NYC average, though the student body's own economic need index is more moderate
- Highly rated charter options like Success Academy Springfield Gardens (95) and Rosedale (91) sit nearby as alternatives to consider
Based on 2023-24 data
School SummaryDistrict 29
District 29 includes some of southeast Queens' strongest schools — charter options like Success Academy Springfield Gardens (95/100) and Rosedale (91/100), plus well-regarded zoned schools like P.S. 176 and P.S. 360 in the 70s. This Pre-K Center doesn't have a published peer score in the comparison set, putting it in a harder-to-evaluate tier that families should investigate directly.
Academics
With an average class size of 23.1, this school matches the District 29 average exactly — so students here get the same peer-to-teacher ratio as peers across the district. Enrollment of 277 keeps the school tight by city standards, which can mean more individual attention and less anonymity.
Culture
Survey data on parent satisfaction, instruction quality, safety perceptions, and attendance isn't part of this snapshot, so the daily climate is hard to read from numbers alone. A small enrollment of 277 often correlates with stronger family-school relationships, though that's general pattern, not a guarantee here.
Community
The student body is one of the more evenly mixed in the district — about 35% Asian, 29% Black, 30% Hispanic, with smaller shares of White, Multi-Racial, and Native American students. The economic need index of 49.9 sits below the citywide figure, suggesting families here lean toward the middle of NYC's economic spectrum rather than the bottom. Sixteen percent of students have IEPs, roughly in line with city norms.
Neighborhood
Jamaica is a working- and middle-class Queens neighborhood where roughly a quarter of households include children and 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree. Median household income hovers around $62,000, with about 17% of residents living below the poverty line, and homeownership is low at 24% — meaning most local families rent.
Three stations are within walking distance: 169 St on the F is about a 7-minute walk, Jamaica-179 St on the F about 12 minutes, and the E, J, and Z hub at Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer about 13 minutes away.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
Kindergarten
District 29 Pre-K Center doesn't have an attendance zone of its own, so living nearby doesn't guarantee a seat here. Families apply on MySchools, and seats go to the school's priority groups first, then by random lottery.
Kindergarten application
- Opens
- Wed, Dec 9
- Closes
- Fri, Jan 22
- Offers
- Tue, Mar 30
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the kindergarten application.
- 2Rank this school with your zoned school, if you have one, and any others you'd take — in true preference order.
Middle school (6th grade)
Middle school is one citywide application, made in 5th grade. We don't have District 29 Pre-K Center's program list, so read how each of its programs admits on MySchools before you rank it.
Middle school application
- Opened
- Wed, Oct 14
- Closes
- Fri, Dec 11
- Offers
- Wed, Apr 7
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the middle school application, in 5th grade.
- 2Rank programs in true preference order — the match places your child in the highest-ranked one that offers a seat.
High school (9th grade)
High school is one citywide application, made in 8th grade. We don't have District 29 Pre-K Center's program list, so read how each of its programs admits on MySchools before you rank it.
High school application
- Opened
- Tue, Oct 6
- Closes
- Fri, Dec 4
- Offers
- Wed, Mar 3
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the high school application, in 8th grade.
- 2Rank programs in true preference order — the match places your child in the highest-ranked one that offers a seat.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is District 29 Pre-K Center a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for District 29 Pre-K Center yet on Motley. It's a public school serving grades K to 12 in Jamaica.
- What grades does District 29 Pre-K Center serve?
- District 29 Pre-K Center serves grades K to 12.
- Is District 29 Pre-K Center public, charter, or private?
- District 29 Pre-K Center is a public school in NYC Community School District 29.
- What neighborhood is District 29 Pre-K Center in?
- District 29 Pre-K Center is in Jamaica, Queens.