The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in English language arts. The lowest is 61% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Is 141 Steinway (the)
IS 141 Steinway is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in Long Island City, Queens. The school sits in the neighborhood that once anchored New York's industrial waterfront and has over the past two decades become one of the city's fastest-growing residential areas. Much of the area now mixes new high-rises with converted warehouses, art galleries, and studios, and sits within a few blocks of waterfront parks, multiple subway lines, and emerging commercial districts. The school itself is embedded in this changing landscape rather than isolated on a dedicated campus.
The student body reflects the neighborhood's current makeup. About two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment spans a broad range of racial and ethnic backgrounds: a large plurality identify as Hispanic, followed by roughly equal shares of white and Asian students, with smaller representation of Black students and other groups. Data on students receiving special education services and English learners was not available in the provided information.
In state testing, the school shows mixed performance across its three grades. In English language arts, students perform more solidly: roughly two-thirds of sixth and seventh graders meet the proficiency standard, and proficiency rises to around seventy percent in eighth grade. Math tells a different story. Sixth-grade math proficiency sits in the mid-fifty-percent range, rising to roughly two-thirds in seventh grade. Eighth-grade math testing results could not be reported because very few eighth graders took the test that year. Science testing data for eighth grade also appears incomplete for a similar reason. A parent may want to look into the eighth-grade testing situation with the school to understand what is happening with student participation or scheduling.
Across the tested grades and subjects where data is complete, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Queens County. This is a strength. The school's reading performance is particularly notable, showing consistent mid-to-high-sixties to near-seventy proficiency rates that signal students are building literacy skills as they move through the grades.
The school's size is typical for a Queens middle school, with roughly three-hundred students in each grade. This creates a large but not sprawling environment where students have access to grade-level cohorts and multiple class sections.
The immediate context for middle school entry has shifted in District 30 over the past few years. A new, large STEAM-focused middle school opened in nearby Sunnyside in 2023 to address years of overcrowding in the area, giving families additional options. At the elementary level, the district now uses one of three city-approved, phonics-based reading curricula instead of letting schools choose their own materials. The Gifted & Talented program has also been overhauled citywide, with lottery-based admissions replacing a standardized entrance exam, and G&T seats now available in every district.
Long Island City itself is in the middle of sustained residential and commercial growth. Median home values in the area are well above the state benchmark, and rents have risen sharply in recent years as new construction continues. The neighborhood draws workers and residents from across the region, with major employers including JetBlue, The New York Times, Uber, and others clustered in office towers near transit hubs. The area is highly walkable, served by eight subway lines and waterfront parks and civic spaces. This growth has also brought housing pressure, with a significant share of residents rent-burdened despite strong median household incomes.
For a family considering this school, the core question is whether the student's academic profile fits a middle school where reading and writing performance is a relative strength and math proficiency, while improving across the grades, sits in the mid-range. The neighborhood itself offers the density, transit access, and mixed-use character of a downtown rather than a residential suburb, and the school sits within that urban context.
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