Best Schools in Far Rockaway, New York
24 schools · 10 Elementary · 3 Middle · 5 High · 6 Other
Choosing a school in Far Rockaway?
Use this page to compare every school in Far Rockaway by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Wave Preparatory Elementary School
Elementary · New York City Geographic District #27. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Queens High School for Information Research and Technology
High · New York City Geographic District #27. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Congregation Ymh
High. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Far Rockaway for 2026 are Wave Preparatory Elementary School (8.0/10), Queens High School for Information Research and Technology (7.6/10), and Congregation Ymh (7.1/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 22 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
24
16 public · 8 private
Avg Score
5.2
out of 10
Median Home
$649,400
home value · ACS
Districts
4
serving the city
Schools
24
16 public · 8 private
Avg Score
5.2
out of 10
Median Home
$649,400
home value · ACS
Districts
4
serving the city
Rates 8.0/10 despite 88% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.8 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Far Rockaway schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Far Rockaway
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (22 of 24). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wave Preparatory Elementary School | 8.0 / 10 |
| 2 | Queens High School for Information Research and Technology | 7.6 / 10 |
| 3 | Congregation Ymh | 7.1 / 10 |
| 4 | Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy Vi | 6.4 / 10 |
| 5 | Bnos Bais Yaakov / Tichon Meir Moshe | 6.2 / 10 |
| 6 | PS 197 Ocean School (the) | 6.0 / 10 |
| 7 | Darchei Torah | 6.0 / 10 |
| 8 | Peninsula Preparatory Academy Charter School | 5.8 / 10 |
| 9 | Darchei Torah | 5.8 / 10 |
| 10 | Village Academy | 5.7 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.2/10
- Median household income
- $57,027
- Median home value
- $649,400
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 23%
- Avg commute
- 45 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 29%
13% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Far Rockaway compares
New York rank
#425 of 475
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-1.0
below New York avg (6.2)
Median household income
$57k
61% of New York median
Schools in this city
23
About Schools in Far Rockaway, New York
Far Rockaway's public school landscape offers parents a wide performance range, from middle-tier to genuinely competitive. The area's 16 ranked public schools average 5.3 out of 10 — a below-average baseline that puts the weight of school selection squarely on parents. The encouraging counterpoint: four schools, or 25% of the total, score 7 or above, meaning strong options exist for families willing to look carefully. That top tier is concentrated but reachable.
Wave Preparatory Elementary School leads the field with an 8.2 out of 10 — the highest score in Far Rockaway and the clearest first choice for elementary families. PS 43 and Queens High School for Information Research and Technology both earn 7.2, and PS 197 Ocean School follows at 7.0. Those four schools anchor the upper tier. Peninsula Preparatory Academy Charter School scores 5.9, sitting above the local average but below the top performers.
Elementary options carry the most strength here. Three of the four top-rated schools serve elementary-age students, giving families with younger children more viable choices than those researching high schools. At the secondary level, Queens High School for Information Research and Technology is the clear standout — a technology- and research-focused program earning 7.2 and the most competitive high school option in the area.
The practical takeaway: with an average score of 5.3, the typical school here falls in the lower half of the performance range. The gap between the top tier and the middle is wide enough that address and enrollment decisions carry real weight. Elementary families should start with Wave Preparatory. High school families should put Queens High School for Information Research and Technology at the top of their list. The 25% of schools scoring 7 or above are a meaningful slice — but finding them requires looking beyond the average.
Elementary Schools
10 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 493 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.0 | ||
| 2 | 714 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.6 | ||
| 3 | 403 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.0 | ||
| 4 | 319 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.8 | ||
| 5 | 505 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.2 | ||
| 6 | 520 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.1 | ||
| 7 | 615 students · Pre-K–8th | 3.5 | ||
| 8 | 593 students · Pre-K–8th | 3.2 | ||
| 9 | 149 students · Pre-K–5th | 1.9 | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 10 students · Kindergarten–7th | — | ||
Middle Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 263 students · 6th–8th | 6.4 |
| 2 | 295 students · 6th–8th | 5.7 |
| 3 | 241 students · 6th–8th | 4.9 |
High Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 503 students · 9th–12th | 7.6 | ||
| 2 | 280 students · 9th–12th | 4.7 | ||
| 3 | 608 students · 6th–12th | 4.2 | ||
| Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Congregation Ymh
Private
130 students · 9th–12th | 7.1 | ||
| 2 | 339 students · 9th–12th | 6.2 | ||
Other Schools
6 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,195 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.8 | ||
| Private Schools 5 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Darchei Torah
Private
2,125 students · Pre-K–12th | 6.0 | ||
| 2 | Darchei Torah
Private
2,288 students · Pre-K–12th | 5.8 | ||
| 3 | Torah Academy for Girls
Private
1,790 students · TK–12th | 5.3 | ||
| 4 | Bnos Bais Yaakov-far Rockaway
Private
1,229 students · Pre-K–12th | 5.1 | ||
| 5 | Yeshiva Darchei Torah
Private
2,347 students · Pre-K–12th | 3.6 | ||
Schools in Far Rockaway
Far Rockaway, New York · 24 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$57,027
Median Home Value
$649,400
Median Rent
$1,444/mo
Population
68,704
College Educated
23%
Homeownership
29%
Avg Commute
45 min
Poverty Rate
20.8%
Community Profile
Far Rockaway has a median household income of $57,027. It is a community where 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $649,400, with a median rent of $1,444/month. The area has a poverty rate of 20.8%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute in the area is 45 minutes, which is above the national average. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- New York
- Elementary
- 10
- Middle
- 3
- High
- 5
- Other
- 6
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in New York
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Far Rockaway, New York
How many schools are in Far Rockaway, New York?
Far Rockaway has 24 schools, including 16 public and 8 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Far Rockaway, New York?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Far Rockaway is 5.2 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Far Rockaway, New York?
The top-ranked school in Far Rockaway on MySchoolScout is Wave Preparatory Elementary School with a composite score of 8.0/10.
What is the best elementary school in Far Rockaway, New York?
The top-ranked elementary school in Far Rockaway on MySchoolScout is Wave Preparatory Elementary School with a composite score of 8.0/10.
What is the best middle school in Far Rockaway, New York?
The top-ranked middle school in Far Rockaway on MySchoolScout is Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy Vi with a composite score of 6.4/10.
What is the best high school in Far Rockaway, New York?
The top-ranked high school in Far Rockaway on MySchoolScout is Queens High School for Information Research and Technology with a composite score of 7.6/10.
How many school districts serve Far Rockaway, New York?
Far Rockaway is served by 4 school districts: Peninsula Preparatory Academy Charter School, New York City Geographic District #27, Challenge Preparatory Charter School, Success Academy Charter School-far Rockaway.
What is the education level in Far Rockaway, New York?
According to Census data, 23% of adults in Far Rockaway have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Far Rockaway, New York?
The median household income in Far Rockaway is approximately $57,027 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Far Rockaway, New York?
Yes, Far Rockaway has 8 private schools alongside 16 public schools. The top-rated private school is Congregation Ymh with a score of 7.1/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Far Rockaway, New York?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Far Rockaway is 11.4:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Far Rockaway, New York?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
Related reading
- Best Public Schools in New York 2026: Top Districts from NYC to the Suburbsbest schools
- Best Schools in New York, NY — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best States for Public Schools in 2026: A Complete Rankingdata insights
- Charter Schools vs Public Schools: What the Data Actually Shows (2026)school choice
- Student-Teacher Ratio by State: Complete 2026 Rankingsdata insights
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, New York State Education Dept., and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.