P.S. 242 Leonard P. Stavisky Early Childhood School

Both ELA (75%) and math (85%) proficiency sit well above District 25 averages of roughly 65% and 70% respectively, and the school's overall 3.2/4 score clears the district's 2.69. Math has been the steadier of the two subjects, consistently landing in the high 70s to high 80s across the last decade. ELA has been more variable — peaking near 82% in 2018 and dipping as low as 56% in 2024 before rebounding to 75% in 2025 — so while the trajectory is positive right now, the year-to-year swings are worth keeping in mind.

The day-to-day feel here is unusually cohesive. Parent-teacher and parent-principal trust both register at 99%, and every surveyed teacher agreed that there are strong relationships in the building. Teachers rate instruction quality at 98% and feel safe at 99% — both above the district averages. There have been zero suspensions in each of the last three reporting years, which is striking even for an early childhood school and tells you discipline isn't a concern. The one caveat is the family survey response rate of 51%, which is solid but not overwhelming, so the glowing satisfaction numbers reflect a good chunk of families but not the entire parent body.

The school draws heavily from Flushing's Asian community — 76% of students identify as Asian, with Hispanic (13%), Black (5%), and White (4%) students making up most of the rest. The diversity index of 47% is on the lower side for NYC, meaning the student body is more concentrated demographically than a typical city school. About 60% of students qualify for economic need, and 13% have IEPs, so the school serves a working-class cross-section of this part of Queens alongside families with more resources.

Flushing-Willets Point is a densely populated, working- and middle-class neighborhood in northeastern Queens where the median household income is around $50,000 and about 20% of residents live in poverty. Roughly 14% of households include children, and just under a quarter of adults have a bachelor's degree. Homeownership is low (about 25%) and most families rent, in a housing market where median home values hover near $468,000. It's a transit-dependent area — most families don't own cars and rely on buses and the subway.

The 7 train at Flushing-Main St is the closest subway, about a 15-minute walk from the school, so most families without a car will plan around bus routes or that walk.