Pathways College Preparatory School: A College Board School

This is one of the most dramatic academic turnarounds in the city. In 2016, just 27.9% of students were at grade level in ELA and 14.9% in math — both far below city averages. By 2025, those numbers climbed to 71.1% in ELA and 65.3% in math, well above the District 29 averages of 56.9% and 53.7%. The school earned an overall score of 2.73 out of 4, compared to the district average of 2.21. The gains accelerated sharply after 2022, when math proficiency jumped from 15.2% to 50.8% in a single year. One note: 8th-grade scores (59.2% ELA, 47.1% math) lag noticeably behind 6th and 7th graders, suggesting the transition year may warrant attention.

The day-to-day feel here is structured and disciplined. There were zero suspensions last year, against a district average of roughly 0.94%, and attendance is strong at 96.6% — about six points above the district norm. Teachers rate the quality of instruction at 96%, far above the district average of 88%, suggesting strong classroom practice. The tension point is trust between teachers and school leadership, which sits at just 48%, a notable divide. Parent satisfaction runs at 86% — solid, but below the district's 91% — and only 13% of families responded to the survey, which is a small sample and worth keeping in mind when reading those numbers.

The student body is 80% Black, 8% Hispanic, 7% Asian, 3% Native American, and 1% White, with a diversity index of 43% — meaning the school draws from a fairly concentrated demographic. About 54.8% of students are considered economically needy, and 17% have IEPs. Hollis itself is a middle-income neighborhood with an 8.7% poverty rate and a median household income just under $87,000, so the school serves a student population that on paper faces more economic pressure than the surrounding community would suggest. PTA fundraising came in at about $6 per student, far below the district average of $33, signaling limited family fundraising capacity.

Hollis is a stable, middle-income neighborhood in eastern Queens where most residents own their homes (53%) and median home values sit around $685,000. About 15.4% of households have children, and a quarter of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The community is residential and family-oriented, though only 8.7% of residents live below the poverty line — noticeably lower than many other parts of the city. Families here tend to be car- and bus-dependent rather than transit-dependent.

There are no subway stations within a 20-minute walk of the school, so most families will rely on school buses, public bus routes, or driving for the daily commute.