Robert E. Peary School

No state proficiency scores were reported for this school, so academic outcomes are difficult to assess directly. Class size sits at 24.5 students per class, essentially identical to the district average of 24.5, so kids aren't getting meaningfully smaller groups than they'd get elsewhere in District 24. Teachers rated their instructional quality at 84%, noticeably below the district average of about 92% — a gap worth asking about on a tour. Without proficiency data, families will want to dig into how the school's IEP-driven model translates into actual academic growth for individual students.

The day-to-day climate looks calm and unusually trust-heavy. Teacher-reported safety is 95% (right at the district average of ~95%) and there were zero suspensions in the reporting year — well below the district's typical suspension rate. Parent-principal trust is 95% and parent-teacher trust is 94%, which are strong numbers and suggest families feel heard even if their overall satisfaction score (86%) sits below the district average of ~94%. Teacher trust in the principal (87%) and collegial trust among teachers (86%) are solid too, hinting at a staff that works well together. The lower parent satisfaction combined with high trust scores may reflect that families appreciate the relationships but want more from academics or communication.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic (42%) and Black (33%), with Asian students making up 15%, White 6%, and small shares of multiracial and Native American students. That mix roughly mirrors the Ridgewood and surrounding neighborhoods, which sit at a median household income around $83,500 with about 13% of residents in poverty. The economic need index is high at 84.1, meaning most students come from low-income households — and in this school, every student qualifies for special education services. The result is a community that is largely working-class, multilingual, and accustomed to navigating services for kids who learn differently.

Ridgewood is a working-class and increasingly middle-class pocket of western Queens, with about 17% of households including children and a homeownership rate near 20% — relatively low for NYC, which means most families around the school are renters. Median household income sits around $83,500, and just over a third of adults hold a bachelor's degree, reflecting a mix of longtime residents and newer arrivals. The streets are largely residential and quiet, with the feel of a family neighborhood even as the blocks fill up with young renters.

The Halsey Street L train is about a 5-minute walk, with the Seneca Avenue M about 7 minutes and Forest Avenue M about 9 minutes — three solid options for commuting families.