John W. Lavelle Preparatory Charter School

Test scores at Lavelle Preparatory sit well below the District 31 average — 37.9% ELA proficiency versus 61.3% districtwide, and 33.2% Math versus 61% districtwide — yielding an overall quality score of 1.42 out of 4, compared to the district's 2.45. However, the trajectory shows meaningful improvement: ELA climbed from a low of 23.6% in 2016 to 37.9% in 2025, while Math dipped to just 15% in 2022 before recovering to 33.2%. Early elementary performance (Grade 3 at 49.2% ELA, 56.9% Math) is notably stronger, but results decline through middle school, with Grade 8 Math particularly concerning at 10.2%. Teachers rate instruction quality at 84%, below the district average of 93%, suggesting that while families are happy, classroom experience may not be meeting expectations in the same way.

The school ecosystem tells a nuanced story. Families overwhelmingly trust the leadership — 95% parent-principal trust and 95% parent-teacher trust, both matching or exceeding district averages. Teachers report feeling safe (97%) and generally trust leadership (91%). Yet chronic absenteeism is a serious issue at 62.3%, far exceeding typical benchmarks, and overall attendance sits at 90.5% — slightly below the district average of 91.4%. This suggests that while families who are engaged feel very positive about the school, a large portion of students are struggling to attend consistently. The disconnect between high parent satisfaction and the attendance challenge may reflect that families appreciate the school's culture but face real barriers to getting kids to school daily.

The student body is predominantly Black (44%) and Hispanic (42%), with small White (8%), Asian (2%), and Multi-Racial (2%) populations. A striking 74.6% of students qualify for economic need support, and 36% have IEPs — both well above typical district averages. The neighborhood surrounding the school is notably more affluent than the student population: median household income is $98,222, only 10.5% live in poverty, and 76% of residents own homes. This contrast between the school's demographics and the neighborhood's character is notable — families at the school face economic challenges that the surrounding community may not fully reflect.

New Springville-Willowbrook-Bulls Head-Travis is one of Staten Island's more stable and family-oriented neighborhoods, with a safety score of 85 and a stability score of 87 — both well above city averages. The area is dominated by single-family homes (76% homeownership, median home value $641,336) and has a relatively low poverty rate of 10.5%. However, transit access is extremely limited (score of just 18), meaning this is very much a car-dependent area. There are some green spaces and the neighborhood scores well on health environment (99), but families should expect that getting to school requires a vehicle — walking or taking public transit is not practical for most.

The neighborhood is car-dependent with minimal transit options; most families will need to drive or arrange carpools. Walking is not practical given the suburban layout and limited pedestrian infrastructure.