Original Research by School Decision on Central Queens Academy Charter School
Central Queens Academy Charter School is a public charter district serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Queens. The school operates as a single charter entity and recently underwent substantial structural expansion that reshapes enrollment options for families in the area.
The charter's student body is predominantly Hispanic and Asian, with a substantial share of English Language Learners present. The school operates two distinct buildings now: the original CQA I, which opened in its permanent Elmhurst location in September 2022 after years of operating across multiple sites, and CQA II, a new-construction facility that opened in August 2024 adjacent to the first building. This expansion significantly increases available seats and represents a long-term commitment to permanent facilities on decades-long leases.
Academically, CQA grounds itself in a literacy-focused model centered on balanced literacy instruction through Teachers College Reading and Writing Project for elementary and Expeditionary Learning for both elementary and middle school ELA. Middle school uses Expeditionary Learning as well. Math instruction runs on Cognitively Guided Instruction and Context for Learning in the elementary grades, shifting to Singapore Math and Eureka Math in middle school. The school explicitly emphasizes service to English Language Learners across its program design. At its 2021 charter renewal, the State University of New York Charter Schools Institute reported that CQA I's academic performance outpaced a substantial portion of middle schools across New York State, a track record the school publicly presents to families.
The school's enrollment is stable across its grade band. Free-and-reduced-price lunch data was not available; English Language Learner counts and special education enrollment counts were also not provided in the school's reported information.
Among Queens County's districts, CQA reports a chronic absenteeism rate above the midpoint, and its per-pupil current spending falls in the middle range, in the upper half of the county distribution. State testing proficiency data was not available for this entity. Because CQA serves only grades K through 8, no graduation rate applies.
The expansion from one building to two represents a material shift for the district. CQA I consolidates a previously fragmented operation, and CQA II is growing incrementally, adding one grade per year until reaching full K-8 scale. Families considering enrollment now have options across two adjacent campuses. The combination of literacy-centered pedagogy, explicit ELL emphasis, and the new physical infrastructure reflects a school positioned to serve a multilingual student population with dedicated facilities and programs built over the past few years.
See more original research from School Decision →