Preparatory Academy for Writers: A College Board School

Test scores here have been a rollercoaster. English proficiency climbed from 39% in 2016 to around 60% for three straight years (2022-2024) before dropping sharply to 44.8% in 2025 — a notable slide that now puts the school well below the district ELA average of about 57%. Math is the brighter spot, ticking up to 51.8% (just under the district average of 53.7%) and trending higher than its 2016 baseline, though it dipped as low as 30.8% in 2022. The school's overall score of 1.93 out of 4 sits below the district average of 2.21. Grade-level data shows real variability: Grade 6 is strong (65% math), Grade 7 ELA is weak (31%), and Grade 8 math is concerning at 35%.

The day-to-day climate reads warm. Daily attendance of 95.9% is well above the district average of 90.9%, and zero suspensions in the most recent year suggests a restorative rather than punitive approach (the district average is nearly 1% of students suspended). Parents give 90% satisfaction and 89-90% trust in teachers and the principal, while teachers rate instructional quality at 96% — meaningfully above the district's 88% mark. The catch: chronic absenteeism sits at a striking 87.6%, meaning most students miss 10% or more of the school year despite strong day-to-day attendance. Note also that survey response rates are thin (9% of families, 29 teachers), so the picture is informed by a vocal minority.

The student body is 82% Black and 10% Hispanic, with smaller Asian, White, and multiracial populations — a composition that mirrors the surrounding southeast Queens neighborhood. The diversity index of 37% is relatively modest, reflecting how concentrated the school is in its core demographic. About 18% of students have IEPs, and the economic need index of 54.5 sits in the moderate range, consistent with a neighborhood median income around $74,500. As a screened ed-opt school, the families who land here have actively chosen it, which tends to mean engaged households.

The school sits in the Springfield Gardens / Rochdale Village area of southeast Queens, where about 37% of residents own their homes and the median home value is around $385,000. Roughly 20% of households include children, and a quarter of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The neighborhood skews solidly middle-income, with a poverty rate of about 11%. Day-to-day life here leans car-oriented — this part of Queens is residential and quiet, not dense or walkable.

There are no subway stations within a 20-minute walk of the school, so families will need a car, school bus, or local bus to get there.