PS 71 FOREST

547 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

PS 71, also known as the Forest School, is a public elementary school located in the Ridgewood neighborhood of Queens, New York. Serving students from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade, the school is part of the New York City Department of Education’s District 24. The institution is housed in a historic building that has been a long-standing staple of the local community, emphasizing a traditional approach to elementary education while adapting to the diverse needs of the surrounding Ridgewood population.

The school is generally recognized for its focus on providing a structured learning environment that prepares students for middle school transitions. Beyond core academics, PS 71 often incorporates various programs to support student development, including art, physical education, and extracurricular activities designed to foster social-emotional growth. As a community-centric school, it remains a focal point for families in the area, prioritizing parent engagement and a collaborative atmosphere to ensure that students receive a well-rounded academic foundation.

547

Total Students

35.8

Full-Time Teachers

15.3

Student/Teacher Ratio

68.6%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for PS 71 FOREST
Demographic	Student Count
White	165
Hispanic	330
Black	5
Asian	22
Two or More	5
American Indian	12
Pacific Islander	8

Hispanic
330 (60.3 %)
White
165 (30.2 %)
Asian
22 (4.0 %)
American Indian
12 (2.2 %)
Pacific Islander
8 (1.5 %)
Black
5 (0.9 %)
Two or More
5 (0.9 %)

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 #24
Phone:	(718)821-7772
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	547
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	35.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	15.3
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	352
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	23

* 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 67

Kindergarten 64

Grade 1 57

Grade 2 76

Grade 3 97

Grade 4 95

Grade 5 91