New York City Geographic District #26 School District

New York City Geographic District 26 serves 29,442 students across 34 ranked schools in northeastern Queens, covering neighborhoods including Bayside, Douglaston, and Little Neck. The district's average school score of 7.0 out of 10 already clears a high bar, but what stands out is how consistently the top schools exceed that average — a pattern that makes District 26 one of the stronger-performing urban districts in the state.

PS 31 Bayside leads the district with a 9.1 out of 10, placing it among the top-performing elementary schools families will find anywhere in New York City. Close behind is The Civic School of Bayside Hills at 8.8, giving parents in this area two elementary-level options that both score well above the district mean. PS 41 Crocheron rounds out the elementary tier at 8.2, adding a third strong choice for younger students. The concentration of high-scoring elementary schools in a single district is uncommon and gives families meaningful options at the most foundational stage of their child's education.

The middle and high school picture is equally solid. MS 158 Marie Curie scores 8.2 out of 10, providing a strong bridge between the district's elementary programs and its secondary offerings. Queens High School of Teaching, Liberal Arts and Sciences earns an 8.3, the highest-rated high school in the district, and signals that academic momentum built in the early grades has somewhere to go. A specialized high school focus on teaching and liberal arts draws students who thrive in discussion-based, project-oriented environments.

With 34 schools averaging 7.0 and multiple campuses scoring above 8.0, District 26 delivers above-average outcomes at scale. That combination — size, consistency, and several standout schools — is rare in a district enrolling nearly 30,000 students. Parents relocating to northeastern Queens should prioritize school-zone research early, since attendance boundaries determine access to the top-rated elementary programs, and those seats are in high demand.