Ps 140 Edward K Ellington, Jamaica NY

Original Research by School Decision on Ps 140 Edward K Ellington

PS 140 Edward K Ellington serves the pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade band in Jamaica, Queens, as a regular public school under NYC's District 28. The school draws a student body that is majority African American, with substantial shares of Hispanic and Asian students. A large majority of the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting an economically disadvantaged population. The school sits in Jamaica, a neighborhood that has transformed significantly in recent decades: the downtown core has become a dense, walkable civic center with major transit infrastructure and new residential development, while the surrounding residential enclaves remain quieter and lower-density.

On state testing in the most recent year, the school shows a mixed picture. Third and fourth graders performed solidly in English language arts, with strong proficiency rates. Fourth graders also reached high proficiency in math. Third graders achieved proficiency at a respectable rate in math as well. But proficiency declined sharply in fifth grade across subjects. Fifth-grade math proficiency fell to below half the class, and fifth-grade ELA proficiency, while just above half, represents a notable step down from the younger grades. Most concerning is fifth-grade science, where only a small share of students met proficiency standards. The overall proficiency index across all tested grades and subjects places the school above the midpoint among the county's districts, a position that reflects strength at the lower grades and struggles in the upper elementary band.

The school's enrollment is small to moderate for its grade span, with roughly balanced cohorts across kindergarten through fifth grade and a pre-K program. Staffing data and information about English learner or special education populations were not available. The school participates in the citywide NYC Reads literacy mandate, which since 2024 has required all elementary schools to adopt one of three approved reading curriculums aligned with the science of reading, replacing the prior approach where schools could piece together their own programs. This is a lasting change to reading instruction that families considering the school should understand. District 28 has also expanded its Gifted and Talented offerings, adding a third-grade entry point across all district schools and shifting to a universal-screening model, so families interested in accelerated programming would find more formal pathways than existed previously.

The housing market in the 11434 zip code where the school sits reflects Jamaica's residential growth. Home values are above the statewide benchmark and have appreciated year over year, while monthly rents have also risen. The neighborhood itself is in the midst of substantial development, with new mixed-use towers rising along major streets and a recently approved rezoning intended to unlock thousands of new homes, including permanently affordable units.

A parent weighing this school should recognize that third and fourth graders are meeting standards at solid rates, particularly in reading, but should also look into what is driving the sharp performance drop in fifth grade, especially in math and science. The small enrollment and community composition are straightforward facts about the building, as is the mandatory reading curriculum tied to all District 28 elementary schools. The school's location in a transit-rich, rapidly changing neighborhood with strong civic and library infrastructure offers both walkability and access to services, though the area is noted for congested streets and ongoing pedestrian safety concerns.

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Academic performance

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

Advanced Placement & IB

1 subject offered · 2023-24

Each card is one AP or IB subject. The headline number is the share of students scoring 3 or higher on the exam — the threshold for college credit at most universities. The bar below each rate shows the underlying distribution across performance levels.

Score:12· no credit345· extremely well qualified

World Languages and Cultures

Spanish Language and Culture

1 tested · HS

0.0%

scored 3 or higher

Math

Grade 368%

School 68% · District 72% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 484%

School 84% · District 68% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 547%

School 47% · District 63% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 381%

School 81% · District 66% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 481%

School 81% · District 63% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 557%

School 57% · District 66% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Science

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 48% · ▼ 29 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 563%

School 63% · district not reported

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #28, 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 4Lower-income78%Higher-income100%22 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income33%Higher-income60%27 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income88%Higher-income60%27 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income53%Higher-income80%27 pp gap