At a Glance
A PK-12 neighborhood school with unusually high family engagement and a fully inclusive special education model in south Staten Island.
Best suited for
Staten Island families who want a single PK-12 campus with a calm, inclusive environment and an unusually active parent body — especially those who prioritize school continuity from early elementary through graduation and don't mind a car commute.
What stands out
- PK through 12th grade on one campus — kids don't have to switch schools for high school
- Zero suspensions in a school of 491 students, indicating an unusually calm environment
- PTA fundraising of about $258 per student — nearly double the district average — points to an exceptionally engaged parent body
- A reported 100% of teachers say they feel safe at work and 100% of families say relationships are strong
Things to consider
- Teacher-rated instruction quality at 83% trails the district's 93% — worth asking what this reflects in the classroom
- No state proficiency data appears in the current dataset, so academic outcomes have to be discussed directly with the school
- The 18-to-19-minute walk to either SIR station means this is realistically a car-or-bus neighborhood for most families
- With about 23 students per class (matching the district average), class sizes aren't a stand-out advantage here
Based on 2025 data
School SummaryDistrict 31
Among District 31 peer schools, the strong performers like P.S. 35 The Clove Valley School (99), Naples Street Elementary (97), and P.S. 005 Huguenot (96) tend to be neighborhood elementary schools with high family satisfaction. David Marquis's zero-suspension, high-trust climate stands out against that peer set, especially given that it goes all the way through 12th grade — a rarity in this district and across the city.
Academics
No state proficiency scores are reported in the current dataset for this school, so academic performance can't be benchmarked against the district's roughly 61% ELA and 61% math averages here. With no proficiency data to anchor the picture, parents should ask directly for trend information at a tour or open house. Class size sits right at the district average of about 23 students per class, so individual attention per seat is typical for District 31.
Culture
The day-to-day climate reads as unusually warm and well-trusted. Every single teacher surveyed said they feel safe at school (versus a district average of about 95%), and parents reported 97% trust in both teachers and the principal. Strong relationships between adults and students clocked in at a perfect 100%. The one stat that stands out in the other direction: teacher-rated instruction quality came in at 83%, well below the district average of 93% — worth asking the principal what that number reflects. There were zero suspensions this year, in a school of 491 students, which is meaningfully better than the district's already-low suspension rate.
Community
The student body is half White, with the rest made up of Hispanic (25%), Black (12%), and Asian (11%) students — fairly representative of the diverse but majority-White south Staten Island communities around it. With a diversity index of 73%, this is a meaningfully mixed school without being majority-minority. The 100% IEP figure in the dataset is striking and likely reflects the school's role serving students with disabilities rather than meaning every child has an IEP — it's worth confirming with the school how that services.
Neighborhood
Great Kills-Eltingville is a family-first Staten Island pocket where 80% of households own their homes, median household income runs near $120,000, and just under 7% of residents live in poverty. A quarter of households have kids, and 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher — these are households that tend to show up to PTA meetings and stay for the long haul. The vibe skews suburban: driveways, drive-throughs, and a slower pace than most of New York.
Getting here without a car takes some planning. The nearest subway stations are Great Kills and Bay Terrace, both on the Staten Island Railway, and each is roughly an 18-to-19-minute walk from the school. Most families likely drive, bike, or rely on the school bus.
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 157 families responded (28% rate)
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
The David Marquis School of the Arts is a District 75 school, part of the city's network of programs for students with significant disabilities. There's no application to file: a child is placed here when their IEP recommends a District 75 setting.
- 1Talk with your child's IEP team about the setting the IEP recommends.
- 2If it recommends a District 75 program, the DOE offers the seat — ask the team which programs they're considering and visit them.
District 75 is the city's citywide district for students with significant disabilities. In the DOE's words, it provides “highly specialized instructional support” for students with challenges such as autism, significant cognitive delays, emotional disabilities, sensory impairments and multiple disabilities.
Its classes run in schools where every student has an IEP, as special classes inside District 1–32 schools, in general education classrooms, and in agencies, hospitals and at home. The IEP team, which includes you, recommends the program and class size.
From NYC Public Schools' District 75 page, read October 17, 2026.
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From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is The David Marquis School of the Arts a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for The David Marquis School of the Arts yet on Motley. It's a public school serving grades Pre-K to 12 in Great Kills-Eltingville.
- What grades does The David Marquis School of the Arts serve?
- The David Marquis School of the Arts serves grades Pre-K to 12.
- How do students get into The David Marquis School of the Arts?
- The David Marquis School of the Arts is a District 75 school, part of the city's citywide district for students with significant disabilities. There's no application: a child is placed here when their IEP team recommends a District 75 setting.
- Is The David Marquis School of the Arts public, charter, or private?
- The David Marquis School of the Arts is a public school in District 75, the city's citywide special education district.
- What neighborhood is The David Marquis School of the Arts in?
- The David Marquis School of the Arts is in Great Kills-Eltingville, Staten Island.