Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences, Jamaica NY

Original Research by School Decision on Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences

Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences is a public high school located in Jamaica, Queens, serving grades nine through twelve. The school enrolls a student population that is roughly balanced across grades, with a substantial share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Asian, with meaningful Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations represented, and a small number of white students.

State testing data for this school was not available, which limits what can be said about proficiency in math, English language arts, or science. The school sits within District 28, which recently adopted a mandated reading curriculum for elementary schools aligned with the science of reading and expanded its gifted and talented program to include a third-grade entry point with universal screening. None of these district-level shifts directly affect high school, but they signal the district's focus on early literacy and expanded access to accelerated programming.

Placed against the districts in Queens County, the school's proficiency metrics position it in the bottom quartile among county districts. Without high school test results or other academic indicators from the provided data, it is difficult to characterize the school's academic standing beyond that comparison. A parent may want to look into the school's course offerings, college placement rates, and what academic support services or pathways the school provides.

The school's name suggests a science focus, though detailed course and program information was not available. The school is located on Gothic Drive in Jamaica, a neighborhood that is itself in the midst of residential and commercial growth. Jamaica Station, the major hub of the Long Island Rail Road, sits nearby with connections to the E, J, and Z subway lines and buses, making the school accessible by transit. Housing values in the Jamaica zip code are rising, and the area has seen significant new residential development in recent years, particularly mixed-income towers along the major commercial corridors.

The school is a regular public school with no charter or magnet status. Graduation rate data was not available. Whether the school serves as a draw for families across the district or functions more as a neighborhood school depends on its admissions process and reputation, which are not specified in the available information. A parent considering this school would benefit from visiting, speaking with current students and families, and understanding the specific science and career pathways the school offers.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

90-94%Cohort of 124 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

1,253 schools plotted. 14 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Advanced Placement & IB

9 subjects 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

Math and Computer Science

Calculus AB

11 tested

9.1%

scored 3 or higher

Computer Science Principles

10 tested · Grade 10

50.0%

scored 3 or higher

Statistics

20 tested

35.0%

scored 3 or higher

Sciences

Chemistry

1 tested

0.0%

scored 3 or higher

History and Social Sciences

Comparative Government and Politics

23 tested

82.6%

scored 3 or higher

U.S. History

30 tested

93.3%

scored 3 or higher

Other

Language and Comp

60 tested · Grade 10

36.7%

scored 3 or higher

U S Government and Politics

23 tested

87.0%

scored 3 or higher

World History

23 tested · Grade 10

82.6%

scored 3 or higher

New York Regents Exams

4 courses reported · 2024-25

End-of-course exams required for a New York Regents diploma. Each row shows the cohort size and the share of students scoring at the proficient level or higher.

Course	Students tested	% proficient
Ela	152	85.0%
Social Studies	139	83.0%
Science	35	46.0%
Math	10	40.0%

Math

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 34% · ▼ 34 pts below district

▼ 37 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 56% · ▼ 56 pts below district

▼ 48 pts below state median · ▼ 59 pts below county median

Science

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 38% · ▼ 38 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 24 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.