Ps 81 Jean Paul Richter, Glendale NY

Original Research by School Decision on Ps 81 Jean Paul Richter

PS 81 Jean Paul Richter serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Glendale, Queens, a stable, tree-lined residential neighborhood defined by early-20th-century rowhouses, family-run local businesses along avenues like Myrtle and Cooper, and a cohesive population that blends multigenerational families with newer arrivals from Latin America, Eastern Europe, and South Asia. The school sits within a very walkable neighborhood, though Glendale lacks direct subway access; the M train at Fresh Pond Road in nearby Ridgewood is a moderate walk away, and bus service is available. Forest Park borders the neighborhood to the south and east. Housing values in the area are above the state benchmark, and rental costs have risen modestly. The neighborhood is characterized by steady, quiet change rather than rapid development, anchored by commercial strips and small-scale retail rather than concentrated downtown activity.

The school's enrollment is roughly in the middle range for its grade band, distributed across grades pre-K through five. The student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with smaller numbers of white, Asian, and Black students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the area's economic makeup. Data on students with IEPs and English learners was not available; a parent may want to ask the school directly about these populations and what services are in place.

On state testing, the school shows uneven performance across subjects and grades. In math, proficiency improves from third to fifth grade, with solid results in third grade but dipping in fourth before recovering in fifth. English language arts results are notably lower than math, with less than half of fourth and fifth graders scoring proficient or above. Science proficiency in fifth grade is the weakest area tested, with under four in ten students reaching proficiency. The school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint for schools across Queens County districts, though this reflects the county median, not a strong absolute position. The most recent social studies data available was older and therefore not used in current comparisons. Test participation rates were consistently high across grades and subjects, suggesting the data is reliable.

District 24, which encompasses Glendale along with Corona, Elmhurst, Ridgewood, Maspeth, and Middle Village, has long faced overcrowding. The city's amended capital plan calls for three new elementary schools in the district to add seats and relieve pressure on zoned schools. A new unzoned elementary school called West Q is also opening nearby with a project-based learning model. Despite these additions, the district remains unevenly utilized, with roughly a third of buildings still overcrowded while others hold open seats. Families considering this area should be aware that District 24 is projected to lose enrollment over the coming decade, a demographic shift worth monitoring. Several schools in the district offer Spanish or Chinese dual-language programs that pull students across zone lines, an option that has roots in the community's diversity and immigrant base.

PS 81's academic profile suggests that while the school performs competitively within its county context, there is room for growth, particularly in literacy and science. A parent evaluating this school should understand its strength in math at the lower grades, the softer performance in ELA across the upper elementary, and the notably weaker science results. The school's enrollment and student demographics are stable and reflect Glendale's character. Whether the school is right for a family depends on fit with its peer environment, neighborhood setting, and willingness to engage with the broader district's capacity and demographic trends.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 377%

School 77% · District 53% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 461%

School 61% · District 50% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 568%

School 68% · District 53% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 358%

School 58% · District 46% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 446%

School 46% · District 45% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 545%

School 45% · District 50% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Science

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 40%

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 581%

School 81% · district not reported

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #24, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income55%Higher-income78%23 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income43%Higher-income86%43 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income44%Higher-income57%13 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income75%Higher-income90%15 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income59%Higher-income86%27 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income70%Higher-income50%20 pp gap