About Us

 
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Since our founding in 2012, Central Queens Academy Charter Schools (CQA) has grown to become one of the highest performing schools in all of New York State. We offer newly immigrated families and English Language Learners (ELL) a school choice that prepares our unique student body for academic and personal success within a nurturing and diverse community.

OUR MISSION

CQA’s mission is to prepare students for success in education, the workforce and the community through a school that integrates literacy, standards-based academics and culturally responsive supportive services.

OUR COMMUNITY

CQA was founded to serve the families in District 24 in Queens, primarily those who live in and around the multiethnic, multicultural, and multilingual communities of Elmhurst, Corona and Woodside. Our scholars and their families hail from over 30 different nations and speak over 20 different languages at home. More than 80% of our scholars would be the first in their families to attend college.

OUR SCHOOLS

CQA operates CQA I and CQA II.

CQA I consists of an established middle school (opened 2012) which has become the highest performing charter middle school in Queens and a growing elementary school (opened 2021). CQA I will reach full-scale in 2024 when we complete the elementary school’s expansion and add grade 4, serving a total of 900 scholars.

CQA II will open in August 2024 with Kindergarten and first grade and we'll expand by one grade each year thereafter. At full-scale, over time, CQA II will offer a additional 900 total public school seats to the community.

CQA recognize UN Day every year by celebrating the beauty of our community’s diversity. Scholars and staff are invited to dress in clothing that recognizes or honors their culture or their family’s home country.


Get an inside look at CQA!

Listen to CQA school leadership talk about our program, our goals and results and our school culture and community.


CQA is authorized by the State University of New York Charter Schools Institute.

Learn more about our people, values, approach and results.

View CQA’s School Performance Dashboard.