At a Glance
A large, diverse zoned elementary in car-dependent Queens Village where parent engagement runs high despite a bumpier academic ride
Best suited for
Families zoned for Queens Village who want a calm, suspension-free elementary with strong parent voice and are comfortable navigating a bus-or-car commute.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of NY State ELA + math proficiency, grades 3–8
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- Climate numbers approach the ceiling — 99% teacher-reported safety, 97% parent-principal trust, 94% parent satisfaction
- Three straight years of zero suspensions and a clear restorative approach to discipline
- An unusual demographic mix, including an 11% Native American share alongside the larger Asian, Black, and Hispanic populations
- Strong 2025 test score rebound to the highest point in the available historical record
- PTA fundraising of about $40 per student, slightly above the district average of $33
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism at nearly 60% is high across every subgroup, including Asian students at 67% — the single biggest issue to ask about
- Test scores have been genuinely volatile, with multi-year swings of 10+ points before the 2025 bounce
- No subway within walking distance means the commute is bus-or-car for most families
- About 16% of students have IEPs; families should ask about staffing and inclusion support
- Academic results sit near — not above — district averages, so families prioritizing high proficiency may want to compare directly
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 29
PS 135 sits right around the District 29 average on most measures — slightly below on ELA and math proficiency, essentially tied on overall score and class size, and ahead on parent satisfaction. Two Success Academy charters in the same area post stronger headline scores on their own rating system, but Bellaire offers something those schools don't: a stable zoned seat with no application lottery.
Academics
The 2025 scores are the best this school has posted in the data shown — 53.5% ELA and 52.1% math — landing essentially at the district averages of 56.9% and 53.7%. The trajectory has been genuinely volatile: a strong 2019, a pandemic-era dip in 2022 (math falling to 30.7%), and a sharp rebound this year. Growth looks strongest at grade 5 (58.1% ELA, 55.1% math), suggesting kids are catching up by the time they leave. Across grades, math proficiency ranges from 42% to 57%, consistent with a school hovering near the district middle rather than pulling away.
Culture
The disconnect between climate scores and chronic absenteeism is the headline here. Teacher-reported safety is 99%, parent satisfaction 94%, parent-principal trust 97% — standout numbers across the board. But nearly 60% of students are chronically absent, with Asian and multiracial subgroups running above 65%. Zero suspensions over three straight years points to a warm, restorative approach. Attendance at 89.6% trails the district's 90.9%, and 53% of families weighed in on surveys — what they said was overwhelmingly positive, even as the absence picture is the thing parents should know about.
Community
This is a strikingly diverse school by NYC standards — 85% diversity index with no single group above 40%. Asian students are the largest group at 37%, followed by Hispanic and Black students tied around 22-23%, and an unusual 11% identifying as Native American. About 16% of students have IEPs, and the economic need index sits at 63%, a mix of working- and middle-class families. PTA funding runs about $40 per student, modestly above the district average, from a parent body that feels heard but is geographically stretched.
Neighborhood
Queens Village is a homeowner-heavy, middle-income pocket of eastern Queens — median household income just under $98K, nearly 73% of households own their homes, and the poverty rate sits under 9%. About 16% of households include children, and 28.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, giving it a settled, rooted feel. The flip side of that quiet residential character is the commute: families here largely rely on buses, cars, and school transportation rather than the subway.
There are no subway stations within a 20-minute walk of the school, so most families reach Bellaire by bus, car, or school transportation.
Academic Performance
ELA Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State ELA exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Math Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Math exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Historical Trends
The dashed line marks 2023, when New York changed its grades 3–8 state tests. Scores before and after it aren’t directly comparable.
2020–2021 data unavailable due to COVID-19
Source: NYC DOE School Quality Reports
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 353 families responded (53% rate)
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database (2023-24)
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
Pre-K
The Bellaire School also has Pre-K classes. They're a separate application from kindergarten, made on MySchools.
Pre-K application
Applications typically open in the winter and close in the spring, with offers in late spring; the city announces exact dates each year.
Kindergarten
The Bellaire School has an attendance zone. At elementary level, in-zone students get a guaranteed seat. Every family still applies on MySchools: the application confirms the zoned seat, and ranking other schools doesn't cost you it.
Kindergarten application
- Opens
- Wed, Dec 9
- Closes
- Fri, Jan 22
- Offers
- Tue, Mar 30
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Check that your address is inside the zone — zones change, so confirm it before you sign a lease.
- 2Apply during the kindergarten application, even with a zoned seat.
- 3Rank this school along with any others you'd take, in true preference order.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is The Bellaire School a good school?
- On Motley, The Bellaire School earns an overall rating of 53/100 — the average of the school's New York State ELA and math proficiency, grades 3–8, shown out of 100. Its state test results run in line with the District 29 average.
- What grades does The Bellaire School serve?
- The Bellaire School serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into The Bellaire School?
- The Bellaire School admits by zone — children who live in its attendance zone get a guaranteed seat.
- Is The Bellaire School public, charter, or private?
- The Bellaire School is a public school in NYC Community School District 29.
- What neighborhood is The Bellaire School in?
- The Bellaire School is in Queens Village, Queens.