IVAN LAFAYETTE EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL OF THE ARTS (THE)

216 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 2nd

School Overview

PS 228, known as the Early Childhood Magnet School for the Arts, is located in East Elmhurst, Queens, and serves a young student population, typically ranging from Pre-Kindergarten through grade 2. As a magnet school, it distinguishes itself by integrating a robust arts-based curriculum into its daily instruction. This approach is designed to foster creativity, critical thinking, and emotional expression in early learners, providing a well-rounded foundation that extends beyond traditional core academics.

The school is deeply integrated into its local community and emphasizes a nurturing, student-centered environment tailored to the developmental needs of young children. By utilizing the arts—such as music, visual arts, and performance—as a vehicle for learning, PS 228 aims to increase student engagement and support diverse learning styles. With its focus on early childhood development and specialized programming, the school strives to prepare its youngest learners for long-term academic success while cultivating an appreciation for artistic discovery.

216

Total Students

21.5

Full-Time Teachers

10.1

Student/Teacher Ratio

85.2%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for IVAN LAFAYETTE EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL OF THE ARTS (THE)
Demographic	Student Count
White	8
Hispanic	189
Black	1
Asian	16
Two or More	2

Hispanic
189 (87.5 %)
Asian
16 (7.4 %)
White
8 (3.7 %)
Two or More
2 (0.9 %)
Black
1 (0.5 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #30
Phone:	(718)899-5799
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 2nd
Total Students:	216
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	21.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	10.1
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	178
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	6

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 36

Kindergarten 71

Grade 1 60

Grade 2 48

Ungraded 1