P.S. 214 Cadwallader Colden

The school's 60.8% ELA and 63.6% math proficiency place it below District 25 averages (64.9% ELA, 69.6% math), meaning students are performing roughly on par with the region but not leading it. However, the long-term trend tells a recovery story — scores climbed steadily from 2016 through 2019 (ELA jumping from 47.6% to 63.7%, math from 59.1% to 75.3%), dipped during pandemic-era testing, then rebounded strongly in 2025. Grade-level breakdown shows consistent growth from third to fifth grade, with fifth-graders performing strongest in ELA (62.7%). Class sizes match the district average at 24.7 students.

This is where P.S. 214 truly shines. Parent satisfaction hits 96%, parent-teacher trust reaches 98%, and parent-principal trust is nearly unanimous at 99%. Teachers report 100% safety and 93% collegial trust. The school has logged zero suspensions for three straight years — a rare achievement that speaks to a restorative, relationship-driven approach to discipline. However, chronic absenteeism is a concern at 75.7%, particularly among Asian students (90.7% chronic absence rate), which may be affecting test score consistency. The 45% family survey response rate is moderate, but the responses themselves are overwhelmingly positive.

The student body is 63% Asian, 26% Hispanic, 7% Black, and 2% white/other — making it a majority-Asian school in a neighborhood that matches that demographic. The economic need index sits at 66.7%, indicating a significant portion of families facing financial hardship. Fifteen percent of students have IEPs. PTA fundraising is modest at $20 per student ($7,163 total), well below the district average of nearly $50 per student — suggesting less discretionary income for enrichment campaigns but also potentially more community-driven volunteer effort.

Flushing-Willets Point is a densely populated, working-class Queens neighborhood with a strong family orientation (family density score: 81.99). Median household income is $50,032, and only about a quarter of residents own homes. The area scores low on safety (30.27) but high on health environment (96.17). Transit access is moderate (62.84), and education orientation is above average (58.62). The neighborhood has a multi-ethnic commercial character along main thoroughfares, with residential blocks that are largely residential and walkable.

As a zoned school, most families walk — the neighborhood is dense and residential, with single-family homes and low-rise apartments lining quiet streets. Families outside the zone would likely drive or take the bus.