The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in Math. The lowest is 54% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on New York City Geographic District #25
New York City Geographic District 25, serving Queens, covers a diverse urban area with strong elementary math performance and steady proficiency across most tested grades. The district enrolls students across pre-K through grade 12, with a student body that is more than two-fifths Asian, one-third Hispanic, and one-tenth white, reflecting Queens' demographic composition. About a fifth speak a language other than English at home.
Reading instruction in elementary schools was standardized starting in 2023 under the citywide "NYC Reads" mandate, with all buildings adopting a phonics-centered curriculum (Into Reading). This shift from principal-selected materials represents a lasting, intentional change in how literacy is taught across the district's primary grades.
In math, elementary students perform respectably. Third and fourth graders show proficiency rates in the high 70s to low 70s range across the district, fifth graders hold steady in the high 60s, and sixth graders dip toward the mid-60s. By seventh grade, performance rebounds to the mid-70s, indicating strength in the upper elementary and early middle school years. Eighth grade math proficiency drops notably to just above one in two students, though testing participation in that year is also lower, suggesting some students may be enrolled in accelerated tracks or in schools with different enrollment patterns.
English language arts proficiency is consistently in the 60s across grades 3 through 8, with third graders at the upper end and fourth graders at the lower end before scores stabilize through the middle grades. Science testing, available only for grades 5 and 8, shows proficiency rates around one in two for both grades tested.
Against other districts in Queens County, District 25 ranks in the top quartile for overall proficiency when math and English are averaged across tested grades. The district's chronic absenteeism rate sits above the county midpoint, a sign that attendance patterns warrant attention, though nearly all students participate in state assessments.
The district operates a substantial portfolio of schools, including elementary schools like PS 20, PS 163 Flushing Heights, and PS 219 Paul Klapper; middle schools including IS 25 Adrien Block, IS 237, and IS 250 Robert F Kennedy; and high schools such as Flushing High School, John Bowne High School, and Townsend Harris High School. Several schools carry specialized designations: Queens College School for Math, Science & Technology, Flushing International High School, East-West School of International Studies, and Queens High School for Language Studies serve students with particular academic or linguistic interests.
Middle school admissions screening returned to district control in 2023, ending the pandemic lottery system. This means families seeking selective middle programs can now be assessed on grades, attendance, and test performance at the district level rather than defaulting to random placement. Gifted and talented programs, previously administered citywide through standardized testing, were decentralized so each district, including District 25, now operates its own G&T track. Kindergarten entry shifted from a single test to teacher nomination plus lottery, and a new third-grade entry point was added, widening access.
A parent may want to look into the gap between elementary and high school transitions, as eighth-grade math and science participation drops substantially, reflecting the way some students move into alternative pathways or schools outside this reporting structure. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility and special education enrollment were not available, leaving a fuller economic and special-needs picture incomplete. Graduation rates are not included in the payload and would be important to examine when considering high school outcomes. The district's performance trends over multiple years are not available, so whether these current results represent growth, stability, or decline cannot be determined from this data alone.
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