PS 12 JAMES B COLGATE

Located at 42-00 72ND ST, in WOODSIDE, New York, PS 12 JAMES B COLGATE is a large elementary school that instructs 838 students (grades K through 5), one of the schools within NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #24. By comparison, New York's public schools average about 443 students each, so PS 12 JAMES B COLGATE sits 89% larger than that benchmark.

Within NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #24, which oversees 57 schools and 48,008 students, PS 12 JAMES B COLGATE is one campus in the system.

Demographically, PS 12 JAMES B COLGATE records that the largest single group is Asian at 54%, but no single group is in the majority. The remainder consists of 38% Hispanic, 3% White, 2% Native American. That is considerably more Asian than the county at large, where the share is closer to 26%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, PS 12 JAMES B COLGATE has 62 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.5:1. That tracks the state average closely. Around 86% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Queens County runs at roughly 77%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, PS 12 JAMES B COLGATE sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 43.4%; this one delivers 59.0%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Queens County) records that median household earnings sit near $86,136, about 36% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. PS 12 JAMES B COLGATE is one of 392 public schools in Queens County (combined enrollment of about 268,205 students).

Nearest neighbor: IS 5 WALTER CROWLEY INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL (THE), around 0.4 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), PS 12 JAMES B COLGATE ranks 3rd on composite proficiency, above the local average of 58.9%.

Geographically, the school is in a high-density area.

Looking at the recent track record. PS 12 JAMES B COLGATE's enrollment has edged down 31% since 2018, when it stood at 1,217 (now 838). Class-load math has pulled in: from 15.8:1 in 2018 to 13.5:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, posts here usually surface around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.