The Queens School for Leadership and Excellence

The 2025 scores (61.1% ELA, 61.6% math) are essentially at the district averages of 62.8% in both subjects — placing the school right in the middle of the pack. The trajectory tells a bigger story: after dropping to the mid-30s during 2022, scores have climbed steadily for three years, with a particularly sharp jump from 2024 to 2025. Third-graders are outperforming their older classmates by a wide margin (70% ELA, 75.9% math in grade 3 versus the mid-50s in grades 4–5), which is worth asking about if your child is entering the upper grades.

The school's culture numbers point in two directions. On the family side, parent trust in teachers and the principal is at 98%, parent satisfaction is 95%, and 89% of families completed the survey — this is a community that shows up. On the attendance side, though, chronic absenteeism sits at 70.4%, meaning more than two-thirds of students miss 10% or more of the school year, which is a real headwind for learning. Discipline is a clear bright spot with zero suspensions over three straight years, though teacher-reported safety at 87% runs below the district average of 93% — worth probing on a tour.

The student body is majority Asian (43%) and Hispanic (38%), with a sizable Black population (15%) and very small White and Native American shares. That mix mirrors the surrounding Jamaica neighborhood, where about a quarter of households include children and the median household income is around $62,000. An economic need index of 73.7% indicates most students come from lower-income families, and PTA fundraising per student ($30) is well below the district average of $165 — a useful proxy for how much enrichment the parent body can underwrite.

Jamaica is a dense, family-filled pocket of Queens — roughly a quarter of households have kids, median incomes sit near $62,000, and most residents rent rather than own. The area has a higher-than-typical share of residents with a bachelor's degree or more, suggesting a mix of longtime families and upwardly mobile newcomers. Getting around is easy on transit.

Three subway options are within walking distance: 169 St or Parsons Blvd on the F train (about 6 minutes each on foot), or Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer on the E, J, and Z lines (about 10 minutes).