By Sophia Chang
Six of the top 10 elementary schools in the city, in terms of percentage of students meeting mandated testing standards, are located in District 26 in northeast Queens. PS 188, at 218-12 Hartland Ave. in Bayside, had 96 percent of its third-, fourth- and fifth-graders meeting the city and state standards for English, the highest percentage in the city.”We're very pleased,” said Janet Caraisco, principal of PS 188. “The scores are a result of the dedicated teachers and the hard work and long hours they put in as well as the parents' support.”Other top District 26 schools include PS 191 in Floral Park, which had 93.5 percent, Little Neck's PS 94, which had 93.1 percent, PS 205 in Bayside with 93 percent, Douglaston's PS 98 with 92.9 percent, and PS 221 in Little Neck, which had 91.6 percent of students meeting the standards.Two other schools in Region 3, the administrative umbrella that encompasses Districts 25, 26, 28 and 29, also had a high percentage of students scoring at or above New York standards.Auburndale's PS 130, which currently serves District 25 but will start admitting some District 26 children this fall, had 93.7 percent of its students meeting standards, the second highest percentage in the city. PS 196 in District 28 in Forest Hills also did well with 91.8 percent of students making the grade.Although the percentage results have been available for some time, the Department of Education recently compiled and made public the rankings of 616 elementary schools in the city, according to an agency spokeswoman.Moreover, the rankings only reflect performance, without taking into account variables such as funding or the students' level of need, according to the Department of Education. District 26 serves the generally affluent neighborhoods of Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, Auburndale and parts of Flushing and Glen Oaks. The preponderance of District 26 schools at the top of the citywide rankings seems to bear out supporters' claims that it is the best school district in New York.”District 26 has a long tradition and culture of student achievement,” said Region 3 superintendent Judith Chin. “These schools have been using balanced literacy and math for many years, and with strong leadership have maintained a high level of achievement. The district also has an extremely engaged parent and school community that serves as a real partner in decision making at the schools.”One District 26 parent said that while the rankings came as happy news, the local schools would not rest on their laurels but would continue to pursue educational excellence.”We're thrilled,” said Susan Downey, president of the District 26 Community Education Council and herself a graduate of third-ranked PS 191. “But it's hard when you're doing so well. You have to move the bar a little more so that you keep doing well.”Reach reporter Sophia Chang by e-mail at news@timesledger.com, or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
