P.S. 133 The Bellerose School of Excellence

P.S. 133's 2025 proficiency rates — 73.9% in ELA and 78.9% in math — land just slightly below the District 26 averages of roughly 75.8% and 80.2%, respectively. The bigger story is the trajectory: scores cratered in 2022 (61.9% ELA, 58.8% math) and have climbed steadily since, with this year's marks being the strongest in nearly a decade. Grade 3 leads the way at 85.5% math proficiency, while Grade 5 trails at 73.6% — a pattern worth noting if your child is approaching the upper-elementary years.

The trust numbers here are striking: 99% of parents trust the principal, 100% say the school builds strong relationships, and 99% of teachers report feeling safe — all above district averages. Teacher-rated instruction quality at 93% also outpaces the district's 89.9%. The discipline picture is unusually clean, with zero suspensions across the 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 school years. One thing parents should know: chronic absenteeism runs at 74.7%, well above what you'd hope for, though this reflects a broader post-pandemic pattern across many NYC schools. Day-to-day attendance sits at 93.3%, just a touch under the district's 94.4%.

The student body is 66% Asian, 16% Hispanic, 9% White, and 5% Black, with a diversity index of 61%. That mix mirrors the surrounding Bellerose neighborhood, which is solidly middle-to-upper-middle class (median household income $103,818, just 8.3% poverty rate) and majority homeowner. About 47.7% of students qualify for economic need, and 13% have IEPs — both moderate figures. The school serves 593 students across PK through 5th grade plus self-contained special education classes.

Bellerose has a distinctly suburban feel for Queens — 69.9% homeownership, a median home value north of $637,000, and 38.3% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. Households with children make up nearly a quarter of the neighborhood, and the poverty rate is well under the city average. It's a stable, family-oriented area where roots tend to run deep.

This is a car-and-bus neighborhood. There are no subway stations within a 20-minute walk, so most families drive or rely on school buses and local bus routes.