At a Glance
A tiny, affordable early-childhood launchpad aiming to send kids on to stronger elementary schools
Best suited for
Families in or near southeastern Queens who want a small, affordable, nurturing start to elementary years with a clear-eyed goal of moving on to a more competitive school by middle childhood, and who can handle the commute.
What stands out
- Enrollment of just 55 students means genuinely individualized attention and a family-scale atmosphere.
- Tuition in the $800–$900 range is extraordinarily low for a New York City private school, putting the program within reach of many local families.
- A stated goal of graduating children into top elementary schools gives the early years a clear, measurable destination.
- Enrichment offerings — music, drama, Spanish, computers, and arts & crafts — are unusually broad for a school this small.
- Rolling admissions mean families don't have to hit a single application deadline.
Things to consider
- The school tops out at fifth grade, so families will need a plan for middle school placement regardless of how they feel about the program.
- With only 4 FTE teachers, the depth of any single program area is limited compared with larger schools.
- There is no nearby subway, which adds real commute friction for anyone outside the immediate neighborhood.
- The student body is demographically narrow, which may or may not match what your family is looking for.
- The mission of "launching" kids to stronger elementary schools is unusual for an elementary school itself — worth asking how that transition actually plays out.
Identity
Stepping Stone is a nonsectarian, coed elementary program that frames itself as an early-childhood specialist — drawing on developmental psychology and varied learning styles to prepare children to transition into stronger elementary schools. It covers PK through fifth grade, with the heart of the work happening in the early years.
Community
The student body is overwhelmingly Black, with a small Hispanic share and virtually no other groups represented, which mirrors the makeup of the surrounding neighborhood. With only 55 students total, the community is more akin to a tight cohort than a large school population, so families will know every teacher and family by name.
Neighborhood
St. Albans is a middle-income residential pocket in southeastern Queens, with a median household income near $98K and a 9.2% poverty rate. The bachelor's-or-higher rate sits around 24%, notably below the citywide average, which makes a private early-childhood program like this a deliberate investment for many local families.
The school is beyond walking distance of the subway, so families will need to plan for driving, bus, or car service for drop-off and pickup.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
One parent review describes it as the best choice for their children's education with remarkable improvements and validated by citywide test scores
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is STEPPING STONE OF SOUTHEASTERN QUEEN a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for STEPPING STONE OF SOUTHEASTERN QUEEN yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in St. Albans.
- What grades does STEPPING STONE OF SOUTHEASTERN QUEEN serve?
- STEPPING STONE OF SOUTHEASTERN QUEEN serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into STEPPING STONE OF SOUTHEASTERN QUEEN?
- STEPPING STONE OF SOUTHEASTERN QUEEN runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is STEPPING STONE OF SOUTHEASTERN QUEEN public, charter, or private?
- STEPPING STONE OF SOUTHEASTERN QUEEN is a private school.
- What neighborhood is STEPPING STONE OF SOUTHEASTERN QUEEN in?
- STEPPING STONE OF SOUTHEASTERN QUEEN is in St. Albans, Queens.