Pan American International High School

Pan American doesn't publish proficiency scores in the data set, so direct comparisons to the district's 51% ELA and 55% Math averages aren't possible from these numbers. What stands out instead is the academic scaffolding: AP courses are offered alongside dedicated ELL support and humanities tracks, and a program richness score of 90/100 puts this school well above the typical District 24 secondary offering. Average class size of 24.5 is identical to the district average, meaning students aren't getting smaller cohorts by default — but the screened admissions process (25% offer rate) suggests the school is selecting motivated applicants. For families prioritizing AP access for English-language learners, the curriculum is unusually generous.

This is one of the strongest climate profiles in the dataset. Parent satisfaction is 99% (vs. district average of 94%), parent-teacher trust is 100%, and parent-principal trust is also 100% — families feel heard at every level. Teachers rate instruction quality at 95% (above the district's 92%) and report 100% trust in their principal and 94% collegial trust, which suggests adults in the building are working together rather than in silos. The most striking number is zero suspensions across the entire school — a remarkable figure in a city where the district suspension average sits around 0.18%, and a signal that conflicts are being resolved without formal discipline. The family survey response rate of 82% (from 389 families) reinforces that parents are engaged and willing to weigh in. Day-to-day, this reads as a calm, high-trust environment where adults and families are aligned.

The school is essentially a mirror of a specific community: 99% Hispanic, with a 2% diversity index meaning there is almost no demographic variation. Just 1% of students have IEPs, which is unusually low and likely reflects both the school's recent-immigrant focus and the screening process. The neighborhood of Elmhurst is a major international hub, and the school appears to serve as a primary landing place for Spanish-speaking families new to New York City — the curricular emphasis on beginner English, Spanish literacy, family festivals, and bilingual clubs all point to a community that is building itself around its students' first-generation experience.

Elmhurst is one of the most internationally-rooted neighborhoods in New York City. Median household income is around $68,000, with an 11% poverty rate and a 30% rate of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher. Just under a quarter of households include children, and homeownership sits at 27% — a renter-majority area where multi-family buildings and immigrant-owned businesses define the streetscape. The school draws from this base and from immigrant families across western Queens.

Families have three subway options within roughly an 11-minute walk: the 7 train at Junction Blvd and at 90 St-Elmhurst Av, and the M and R trains at Grand Av-Newtown. The school is genuinely transit-oriented, though none of the stations are right at the door.