Enrollment
1,265
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Jamaica, NY
Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck
Federal NCES profile for Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 360010002718
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of New York schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New York.
- #6 of 6
- middle schools in Jamaica · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.3:1
- large classes for New York
- 78.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck has class sizes larger than 75% of New York schools. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck ranks #6 of 6 middle schools in Jamaica, NY.
School address
District: New York City Geographic District #28 · New York
NCES ID 360010002718 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
95.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.6%
vs 56.2% New York avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck
Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck is a high-poverty, large middle school in Jamaica, New York, enrolling 1,265 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 78.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New York, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,265 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 4,801 New York schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 256 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New York schools statewide, it ranks #187, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and Asian (25%) (diversity index 64/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
New York City Geographic District #28 also operates Forest Hills High School (3,394 students) and Hillcrest High School (2,298 students) alongside Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck compares
Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.3:1 | ▲ 13% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.6% | ▲ 40% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,265 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,265
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% above the New York average of 56.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 75% in New York - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
54.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 52.8%
Asian 25.4%
African American 12.6%
White 4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.3%
Two or More 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.8, Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
How Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Hills High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hillcrest High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas a Edison Career and Technical Education High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jhs 157 Stephen a Halsey | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Queens Metropolitan High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,394
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,298
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,146
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,611
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,068
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,265 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck's federal record.
- Compare Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck against another school. Compare schools
- New York City Geographic District #28's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck
How many students attend Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck?
Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck has 1,265 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Jamaica, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck?
The student-teacher ratio at Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck is 13.3:1, which is 13% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck?
78.6% of students at Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck?
The largest demographic group at Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck is Hispanic or Latino at 52.8% of enrollment, in Jamaica, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck?
Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck rank among middle schools in Jamaica?
By Resource Investment Index, Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck ranks #6 of 6 middle schools in Jamaica, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Jamaica on the city page.
Is Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck a good school?
Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of New York schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New York. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in New York City Geographic District #28?
Besides Jhs 217 Robert a Van Wyck, New York City Geographic District #28 also operates Forest Hills High School (3,394 students), Hillcrest High School (2,298 students), and Thomas a Edison Career and Technical Education High School (2,146 students). See the New York City Geographic District #28 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.