The James J. Ambrose School

English proficiency at 79.6% sits about 4 points above the District 26 average of roughly 75.8%, while math proficiency at 80.2% lands almost exactly on the district mark of 80.2%. Looking back across nearly a decade of data, both subjects have trended upward from the mid-70s in 2016 to today, with a couple of year-to-year wobbles. Scores are remarkably consistent across grade levels — Grade 3, 4, and 5 all cluster between 77% and 83% in both subjects — which suggests instruction is solid from the early elementary years rather than peaking in one grade.

This is one of the more cohesive school communities in the district by survey measures: parent satisfaction is 95% (above the district average of 92%), parent-teacher trust and parent-principal trust both reach 98%, and every surveyed teacher reports strong relationships with students. Teachers also rate instruction quality at 90% — slightly above the district average of 90% — and feel collegially supported at 96%. Teacher confidence in the principal is the relative weak spot at 83%, which is still solid but worth noting. Discipline tells its own story: zero suspensions across 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24, an unusual streak of consistency. Attendance is healthy at 94.8%, on par with the district.

The student body is 70% Asian, 16% Hispanic, 5% Black, 5% White, and 3% multiracial — a diversity index of 57% reflecting one clearly dominant group alongside several smaller communities. The school's economic need index of 37 is moderate, meaning a meaningful share of families qualify for economic support but the majority don't. PTA fundraising comes in at $96 per student, almost exactly the district average of $96 — typical rather than standout. Family survey participation is robust at 250 responses, suggesting parents are engaged enough to weigh in.

Ambrose sits in the Glen Oaks / Floral Park / New Hyde Park corridor — a leafy, low-density residential pocket of eastern Queens where 75% of households own their homes, the median home value is over $600,000, and the poverty rate is just 7.7%. About half of working-age residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and median household income of roughly $115,000 reflects the area's longstanding reputation as a comfortable commuter-style neighborhood. Families with kids make up 16% of households, pointing to a community that's not exclusively family-driven but has plenty of them.

There are no subway stations within a 20-minute walk of the school, so most families arrive by car, school bus, or local bus routes — this is a neighborhood where driving matters.