International High School for Health Sciences

State proficiency figures weren't part of this record, but the school's academic supports are unusually deep for its size. Saturday Math Academy, SAT Prep, Peer Tutoring, Portfolio Mentoring, and ELL programming all run alongside the regular schedule, pointing to a school focused on moving students forward rather than relying on already-high entry levels. Average class size of 24.5 matches the District 24 average almost exactly, so students aren't getting smaller classes than they would elsewhere in the district.

The climate numbers here are exceptional. Zero suspensions is remarkable for any high school, screened or not, and 100% of teachers say instruction quality is strong and that they trust their principal. Parent satisfaction lands at 96%, with both parent–teacher and parent–principal trust at 98% — and with 262 families responding to the survey (a 94% response rate), these aren't quiet minorities speaking. The day-to-day feel is one of a small, well-aligned community where adults are on the same page.

Three-quarters of students are Hispanic and another 17% are Asian, with small Black, White, and Native American populations — a mix that mirrors the surrounding Elmhurst neighborhoods closely. The student-body diversity index of 44% reflects a school that is predominantly Hispanic but with a meaningful Asian minority. Only 3% of students have IEPs, lower than at many screened schools, partly because the school doesn't run a full special-education continuum.

Elmhurst is one of the most family-dense corners of western Queens. About 23.5% of households here have children, median household income sits around $68,000, and roughly 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Most families rent (only about 27% own their homes), and the median home value is in the high $600,000s — a working- and middle-class neighborhood that has gotten noticeably more expensive over the last decade.

Three subway options sit within about 11 minutes: the 7 train at 90 St–Elmhurst Av, and the M and R lines at Grand Av–Newtown and Elmhurst Av. Plenty of flexibility for families commuting from across Queens or into Manhattan.