Best Public Schools in Flushing, NY

The city of Flushing, New York is home to 45 schools, including 26 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 12 high schools, serving students across a range of grade levels. The schools in this area display a wide spectrum of academic performance, with some standout institutions like Junior High School 216 George J Ryan and Ps 188 Kingsbury achieving exceptional test scores and 5-star ratings, while others struggle with low proficiency rates in core subjects.

The high schools in Flushing have an average 4-year graduation rate of 84.3%, which is on par with the state average, but their dropout rate of 4.5% is slightly higher. Chronic absenteeism is a significant issue, with the high schools averaging a 31.5% chronic absenteeism rate. Economically, the schools serve a population with high levels of disadvantage, with an average of 77.5% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite the economic challenges, the district spends an average of $28,700 per student, which is higher than the state average.

While the data reveals stark disparities in academic performance across the Flushing schools, it also highlights the potential for improvement. The existence of high-performing institutions, such as Queens College School For Math Science & Technology (The) and Ps 376, demonstrates that with the right resources and strategies, the lower-performing schools can also achieve strong outcomes. Addressing the systemic challenges, such as chronic absenteeism and economic disadvantage, while leveraging the best practices of the top-performing schools, could be key to raising the overall quality of education in the Flushing district.