P.S. 220 Edward Mandel

ELA proficiency is 52.1% and math is 50%, both meaningfully below the district averages of roughly 63% in each subject. The picture has bounced around over the years: ELA climbed from 38.6% in 2017 to 48.3% in 2019, dipped during the pandemic years, then jumped to 52.1% in 2025, the school's highest ELA mark on record. Math has been steadier, hovering between roughly 43% and 55%, with 2025's 50% sitting near the middle of that range. Grade 3 is the strongest tested grade at 53.8% ELA, while Grade 5 math at 46.8% is the relative weak spot.

The day-to-day culture leans calm and family-engaged. Zero suspensions over three straight years is unusual and points to either strong classroom management or low-level behavioral issues, and the 100% teacher-reported safety score supports the former. Parents give the school strong marks: 96% trust their child's teacher, 95% trust the principal, and 100% say there are strong relationships, all comfortably above district averages. Teacher trust scores look great too, though the small survey of just 20 teachers is worth holding lightly. The flip side is chronic absenteeism at nearly 60%, well above what most parents expect.

The student body is genuinely mixed: 33% White, 32% Asian, 26% Hispanic, 6% Black, with the remainder multi-racial or Native American. That mix tracks reasonably well with Forest Hills itself, where median household income is $104,416, about 60% of adults have a bachelor's degree, and homeownership is near 50%. The economic need index of 64.5% shows more economic pressure in the school population than the neighborhood census alone would suggest, meaning a notable share of families coming through the doors are working below the area's median income. PTA fundraising sits at just $8 per student, which is dramatically below the district average of about $165 per student and signals a fairly lean parent fundraising culture.

Forest Hills is a relatively wealthy, well-educated corner of Queens, with median household income of $104,416 and a 7.8% poverty rate. About 60% of adult residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly half of households own their homes, with median home values around $608,500. Only 18% of households have children, so this is more of a family-with-children enclave inside a broader adult-and-retiree neighborhood. The vibe around the school is residential and quiet.

The nearest subway options are the 67 Av and 63 Dr-Rego Park stops, both on the M and R lines, each about a 14-minute walk away. Most families drive or walk locally rather than commuting in by train.