Our World Neighborhood Charter School 2

Our World Neighborhood Charter 2 outperforms the District 27 averages — posting 59.6% ELA proficiency versus the district's 56.1%, and a notably stronger 66.7% in math versus the district's 57.3%. The overall score of 2.53/4 also sits above the district average of 2.27. But what really stands out is the trend line: from 2022 to 2025, the school went from 25% to 59.6% in ELA and 23% to 66.7% in math. That's not incremental growth — it's a complete transformation in three years. Grade-level data shows stronger performance in the lower grades (Grade 3 math at 75.8%, Grade 4 math at 76.4%) with some slippage in Grade 5 (46.3% math), suggesting the school may be building strong foundations but losing ground as students move up.

The survey data tells a nuanced story. Parents rate the school highly: 91% satisfaction, 95% trust in teachers, 89% trust in the principal. Teachers report feeling safe (93%) and rate instruction quality at 82%. However, there's a gap in teacher leadership trust — teacher-principal trust sits at 76%, and teacher collegial trust is also 76%, both below the parent trust numbers. This could signal some friction between staff and administration that parents may not see directly. The attendance picture is concerning: 89.2% attendance is slightly below district average, and the 55.2% chronic absenteeism rate is high — particularly striking given the high homeownership in the surrounding neighborhood. Asian students show the highest chronic absenteeism at 66.7%, while Hispanic students are lowest at 54.9%.

The student body is 49% Black and 40% Hispanic, with minimal Asian (4%) and white (4%) enrollment. With a diversity index of 62% and 73.9% economic need index, this is a school serving predominantly low-income students of color in a neighborhood that's largely middle-class and white adjacent. The 11% IEP population is slightly below what you might expect given the economic need. Class sizes average 23.4, exactly matching the district average. The school feels like a community anchor for families who chose a charter option in a neighborhood where traditional district schools may not have felt like the right fit.

Howard Beach-Lindenwood is a stable, family-oriented Queens neighborhood dominated by single-family homes (77% homeownership) with a median home value approaching $600,000. The poverty rate is low at 6.2%, though the BA+ education rate of 31.2% suggests a working- to middle-class population rather than a highly educated one. Safety scores are moderate (69th percentile), and the neighborhood scores well on health environment (87th percentile) but poorly on transit (25th percentile) — meaning families are very car-dependent. Education orientation is average (54th percentile), suggesting this isn't a hyper-competitive tutoring-drill area. For families, the trade-off is clear: good stability, decent safety, but you'll need a car to get around efficiently.

Transit access is limited (25th percentile), so most families drive or get dropped off. The neighborhood is residential and walkable for short trips, but the school draws from a wider area given the limited subway options.