P.S. 186 Castlewood

P.S. 186's 2025 scores tell a comeback story: ELA proficiency rebounded from a 56.8% trough in 2022 to 74.6%-just shy of the district average of 75.8%-and math climbed to 82%, actually edging out the district's 80.2%. The school's overall 3.13/4 rating sits right at the district average of 3.12/4, so on paper it's average, but the trajectory is what stands out. Grade 3 math is a particular bright spot at 93.8%, suggesting that early-grade foundations here are genuinely strong.

The day-to-day feel at P.S. 186 is calm and relationally strong. Three straight years with zero suspensions (2021-22 through 2023-24) tells you either the student body stays out of serious trouble or the school leans restorative rather than punitive-and teachers rate safety at a perfect 100% and 'strong relationships' at 100% as well. Parent-teacher trust is an unusually high 94%. The numbers worth flagging: teacher confidence in instruction quality (83%) trails the district's 89.9%, parent satisfaction (89%) sits a bit below the district's 92.3%, and attendance at 93.9% is just under the district's 94.4%. None of these are alarming, but together they suggest a school that's calmer and better-liked by families than it is self-assured about its own classroom quality.

The student body is 41% Asian, 26% White, 20% Hispanic, and 9% Black, with the balance split between multiracial and Native American students-a 78% diversity index that reflects a genuinely mixed school. That mix sits inside a neighborhood where the median household income is $115,393, just 7.7% of residents live in poverty, and three-quarters of homes are owner-occupied, so the school pulls from a more economically comfortable base than many Queens elementaries. PTA fundraising of $184 per student-nearly double the district's $96.35-reflects families with both the means and the inclination to invest.

Glen Oaks sits at the eastern edge of Queens, a quieter and more suburban-feeling pocket where homeownership runs at 75%, the median home value is around $604K, and half of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median household income of $115,393 places it well above the city average, and the 16% of households with children matches the family-school rhythm of the area. With only 7.7% poverty and heavy owner-occupancy, the school draws from a stable, settled population rather than a transient one.

There is no subway within a 20-minute walk of the school, so most families arrive by car, school bus, or on foot from nearby blocks-typical commuting reality for this corner of eastern Queens.