Public schools in Jamaica, NY
51 open public schools with an address in Jamaica, operated by 11 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
51
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
29,771
49 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13:1
New York median 11.1:1
Charter schools
6
0 virtual
An overview of Jamaica public schools
The federal directory lists 51 public schools in Jamaica, NY: 26 elementary, 6 middle, 18 high, 1 combined or other. The 49 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 29,771 students, an average of 608 per school. The largest campus is Hillcrest High School (2,298 students), and the largest elementary school is PS 95 Eastwood (1,103).
New York City Geographic District #28 operates the most schools here (32), and 5 regular districts have at least one Jamaica campus, plus 6 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 13:1, higher than the statewide school median of 11.1:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 6 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 0 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 2 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 83% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Jamaica
New York City Geographic District #28
Public school district
32 schools in Jamaica · 50 total
New York City Geographic District #29
Public school district
8 schools in Jamaica · 47 total
New York City Geographic District #27
Public school district
3 schools in Jamaica · 63 total
Growing Up Green Charter School II
Independent charter agency
1 school in Jamaica
New Dawn Charter High School II
Independent charter agency
1 school in Jamaica
New York City Geographic District #26
Public school district
1 school in Jamaica · 34 total
NYC Special Schools - District 75
Public school district
1 school in Jamaica · 61 total
Rochdale Early Advantage Charter School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Jamaica
Success Academy Charter School-South Jamaica
Independent charter agency
1 school in Jamaica
United Charter High School for Advanced Math and Science IV
Independent charter agency
1 school in Jamaica
Zeta CS - Queens Jamaica
Independent charter agency
1 school in Jamaica
Elementary schools in Jamaica
26| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cynthia Jenkins School New York City Geographic District #29 | PK–05 | 297 | 9.7:1 | |
| David N Dinkins School New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 446 | 11.5:1 | |
| Growing Up Green Charter School II Growing Up Green Charter School II · Charter | KG–08 | 810 | 10.1:1 | |
| Jamaica Children's School New York City Geographic District #28 | KG–05 | 257 | 9.5:1 | |
| Jermaine L Green STEM Institute of Queens (The) New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 526 | 11.2:1 | |
| PS 117 J Keld/Briarwood School New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 775 | 13.9:1 | |
| PS 131 Abigail Adams New York City Geographic District #29 | PK–05 | 754 | 14:1 | |
| PS 140 Edward K Ellington New York City Geographic District #28 | KG–05 | 270 | 9.3:1 | |
| PS 160 Walter Francis Bishop New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 661 | 15.1:1 | |
| PS 161 Arthur Ashe School New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 558 | 14.7:1 | |
| PS 182 Samantha Smith New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 810 | 12.3:1 | |
| PS 223 Lyndon B Johnson New York City Geographic District #27 | PK–05 | 571 | 13.3:1 | |
| PS 40 Samuel Huntington New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 399 | 13:1 | |
| PS 50 Talfourd Lawn Elementary School New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 904 | 12.6:1 | |
| PS 52 New York City Geographic District #29 | PK–05 | 270 | 9.1:1 | |
| PS 80 Thurgood Marshall Magnet School of Multimedia (The) New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 363 | 12.6:1 | |
| PS 82 Hammond New York City Geographic District #28 | KG–05 | 674 | 13.4:1 | |
| PS 86 New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 689 | 16.1:1 | |
| PS 95 Eastwood New York City Geographic District #29 | KG–05 | 1,103 | 17:1 | |
| Ps/Is 116 William C Hughley New York City Geographic District #29 | PK–08 | 806 | 13:1 | |
| Ps/Is 178 Holliswood New York City Geographic District #26 | PK–08 | 519 | 10.1:1 | |
| Ps/Is 268 New York City Geographic District #29 | KG–08 | 696 | 12.9:1 | |
| Queens School for Leadership and Excellence (The) New York City Geographic District #28 | PK–05 | 590 | 15.8:1 | |
| Rochdale Early Advantage Charter School Rochdale Early Advantage Charter School · Charter | PK–08 | 433 | — | |
| Success Academy Charter School-South Jamaica Success Academy Charter School-South Jamaica · Charter | KG–04 | 553 | — | |
| Zeta CS - Queens Jamaica Zeta CS - Queens Jamaica · Charter | KG–01 | — | — |
Middle schools in Jamaica
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine & Count Basie Middle School 72 New York City Geographic District #28 | 06–08 | 329 | 10.6:1 | |
| Emerson School (The) New York City Geographic District #28 | 06–08 | 284 | 10.5:1 | |
| JHS 217 Robert a Van Wyck New York City Geographic District #28 | 06–08 | 1,265 | 13.8:1 | |
| JHS 8 Richard S Grossley New York City Geographic District #28 | 06–08 | 354 | 12.4:1 | |
| MS 358 New York City Geographic District #28 | 06–08 | 345 | 16.1:1 | |
| Redwood Middle School New York City Geographic District #28 | 06–08 | 270 | 10.8:1 |
High schools in Jamaica
18| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August Martin High School New York City Geographic District #27 | 09–12 | 643 | 11.9:1 | |
| Eagle Academy for Young Men III New York City Geographic District #29 | 06–12 | 498 | 10.1:1 | |
| High School for Community Leadership New York City Geographic District #28 | 09–12 | 497 | 10.9:1 | |
| Hillcrest High School New York City Geographic District #28 | 09–12 | 2,298 | 14.1:1 | |
| Hillside Arts & Letters Academy New York City Geographic District #28 | 09–12 | 414 | 13.5:1 | |
| HS for Law Enforcement and Public Safety New York City Geographic District #28 | 09–12 | 535 | 12.2:1 | |
| Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences New York City Geographic District #28 | 09–12 | 531 | 16.5:1 | |
| New Dawn Charter High School II New Dawn Charter High School II · Charter | 09–12 | 375 | 26.8:1 | |
| Queens Collegiate - a College Board School New York City Geographic District #28 | 06–12 | 711 | 14.6:1 | |
| Queens Gateway to Health Sciences Secondary School New York City Geographic District #28 | 06–12 | 679 | 15.1:1 | |
| Queens High School for the Sciences at York College New York City Geographic District #28 | 09–12 | 495 | 18:1 | |
| Queens Satellite High School for Opportunity New York City Geographic District #28 | 09–12 | 187 | 40.7:1 | |
| Queens Transition Center NYC Special Schools - District 75 · Special Education School | 08–12 | 461 | 5.4:1 | |
| Thomas a Edison Career and Technical Education High School New York City Geographic District #28 · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 2,146 | 15.4:1 | |
| United Charter High School for Advanced Math and Science IV United Charter High School for Advanced Math and Science IV · Charter | 09–12 | 363 | 9.6:1 | |
| Voyages Prep-South Queens New York City Geographic District #27 | 09–12 | 217 | 9.9:1 | |
| York Early College Academy New York City Geographic District #28 | 06–12 | 596 | 19.2:1 | |
| Young Women's Leadership School-Queens New York City Geographic District #28 | 06–12 | 544 | 14.8:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Jamaica
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hbcu Early College Prep New York City Geographic District #29 | 09–09 | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White3.3%
- Hispanic33.5%
- Black29.1%
- Asian27.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native4.7%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander1%
- Multiracial1.4%
Enrollment-weighted across 49 Jamaica schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (29,771 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Jamaica
How many public schools are in Jamaica, NY?
The current NCES directory lists 51 open public schools with a location address in Jamaica: 26 elementary, 6 middle, 18 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 29,771 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Jamaica?
Schools with an address in Jamaica belong to 11 education agencies, led by New York City Geographic District #28 (32 schools), New York City Geographic District #29 (8 schools), New York City Geographic District #27 (3 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Jamaica?
Hillcrest High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Jamaica, with 2,298 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Jamaica?
Yes. 6 of the 51 public schools in Jamaica are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Growing Up Green Charter School II, New Dawn Charter High School II, Rochdale Early Advantage Charter School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Jamaica schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Jamaica public schools is 13:1, higher than the New York school median of 11.1:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Jamaica guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby New York cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All New York cities