P.S. 007 Louis F. Simeone

Both ELA (82%) and math (86.5%) proficiency land far above the District 24 averages of 51% and 55%, and the school earns a 3.37 out of 4 overall — putting it near the top of the borough. The more remarkable story is the trajectory: ELA proficiency has nearly doubled from 42.9% in 2016 to 82% in 2025, and math has climbed from 52.9% to 86.5% over the same window. Scores are consistently strong across tested grades, with fourth graders posting the highest numbers (86.8% ELA, 91.4% math). Whatever combination of curriculum, leadership stability, and instructional focus has driven this — the results show up clearly in the data.

The trust numbers here are exceptional: 97% of parents trust their child's teacher, 98% trust the principal, and 100% report strong relationships between teachers and families. Teachers feel supported too — 94% rate instruction quality positively and 97% feel safe in the building. The school has reported zero suspensions for three consecutive years. One thing parents should know: while the overall attendance rate (92.7%) matches the district average, chronic absenteeism sits at 75% — meaning three out of four students miss 10% or more of school days. That tension between strong family engagement on surveys and high chronic absence is worth asking the school about directly.

P.S. 007's student body is 62% Asian and 32% Hispanic, with very small White, Black, and multiracial populations — a reflection of Elmhurst's demographic shift over the past two decades as the neighborhood has become a hub for immigrant families from East and South Asia and Latin America. With 1,196 students, it's a large school by NYC elementary standards, and 13% of students have identified special needs. The economic need index of 73.1 indicates a majority of students come from low-income households, despite the strong academic outcomes — a useful counterpoint to any assumption that test scores simply track wealth.

Elmhurst is one of the most densely settled, working-class, and immigrant-rich neighborhoods in Queens. Median household income sits around $68,000 and the poverty rate is about 11%, but the area is family-dense — nearly a quarter of households include children — and renters dominate the housing stock, with homeownership under 27%. About 30% of adult residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The blocks around P.S. 007 are walkable and well-connected by subway, with multiple stations within easy reach.

Families have solid transit options. The Elmhurst Av (M, R) station is about a four-minute walk, Grand Av-Newtown (M, R) is about seven minutes, and the 82 St-Jackson Hts (7) station is roughly twelve minutes on foot.