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International High School at LaGuardia Community College

Grades: 9-12
Staff Pick

Our Insights

What’s Special

Project-based school for new immigrants learning English

The Downside

Limited clubs and activities

International High School at LaGuardia Community College serves students who have been in the country four years or less who are learning English. Most students take college-level courses and many earn a two-year college degree in addition to their high school diploma. Founded in 1985, it was the first to adopt practices now shared by the Internationals Network for Public Schools, an organization with long experience preparing new immigrants for college, including those who have had little schooling in their native country.

Academics & Instruction: Students work in small groups on projects and make presentations of their work each year. All teachers are trained in English as a Second Language and are also certified in their subject area; many teachers are multilingual and can provide translation.

The school is a member of the New York Performance Standards Consortium. Most high schools need five Regents exams for graduation, but at International, it's just the English Regents. For other subjects, students show a portfolio to teachers and peers, with work that may include a research paper, literary essay, science and math projects, and a creative piece. Everyone also does a yearly project in their native language to boost language skills.

LaGuardia Community College helps students with basic skills and extra support during and after school. They also have a program, Transforming Trauma into Art, that helps teens heal from war and disasters. All students are invited to participate in fifth year Early College Program. They may choose from a variety of foreign language electives like Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Tibetan, Polish, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Uzbek, and more.

More than half of International students stay for the fifth year, taking college classes and possibly earning an associate's degree. Eleventh- and 12th-graders also do internships at various places like government agencies, businesses, schools, hospitals, and community organizations.

Students take many field trips to places like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the Museum of the Moving Image, Central Park, Ellis Island, the Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Tenement Museum.

Culture & Environment: Students feel safe in school, the annual NYC School Survey shows. Students work together in groups and assist one another. For the first two years each student has the same teachers. All teens have the same advisor throughout high school. Students meet with their advisors weekly. During the school's food festival, students and teachers bring food from their native countries to share. The school offers visual arts during school hours. Limited clubs include an Arabic club plus debate, dance, craft and GSA clubs, among a few others. 

Building & Facilities: The school is located on the campus of LaGuardia Community College. Students may take part in sports teams with two other schools, Robert F. Wagner and Middle College High School

College & Career: There is a well-staffed college office. Most graduates continue their education, either at a City University of NY or at private colleges. (Lydie Raschka, web reports and interview, October 2023)

 

 

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School Stats

Academics

School
Citywide
How many students graduate in 4 years?
 
93%
How many English language learners graduate in 4 years?
 
93%
Average daily attendance
 
90%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
29%
From the 2023-24 School Quality Guide and 2023-24 NYC School Survey

Students

509
Number of students
Citywide Average is 608

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
93%
Students with disabilities
 
1%
Multilingual learners
 
80%
From the 2024-25 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
98%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
3%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
3%
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
 
84%
From the 2023-24 NYC School Survey and 2023-24 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
 
84%
10.1
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 8
104
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
Citywide Average is 119

Teachers’ Race/Ethnicity


How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
87%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2023-24 NYC School Survey, 2023-24 School Quality Guide, 2022-23 Report on School-Based Staff Demographics, 2025 Guidance Counselor Report, and this school's most recent Quality Review Report

College and Career Readiness

School
Citywide
How well are students prepared for college and careers after four years at this school? What is a College and Career Readiness (CCR) Score?
 
52
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
78%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
83%
From the 2023-24 School Quality Guide
For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Programs & Admissions

From the 2024 High School Directory

International High School at LaGuardia Community College (Q27J)

Admissions Method: Screened: Language

Program Description:

Students work on projects in all classes that align to our graduation portfolio rubrics. In all classes, students learn English and build research, writing, and presentation skills through their project work. All students complete a native language project each year as well, to strengthen their native language skills. Classes are small, usually 25 students, and students work together in groups in each class.

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

Arabic, Bengali, Spanish

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), Algebra II (College Course [Credited]), Arts (College Course [Credited]), Biology (College Course [Credited]), Calculus (College Course [Credited]), Chemistry (Advanced Science), Comp Sci/Math Tech (College Course [Credited]), Econ/Gov (College Course [Credited]), ELA (College Course [Credited]), Math (College Course [Credited]), Other (College Course [Credited]), Social Studies (College Course [Credited]), World Languages (College Course [Credited])

Boys PSAL teams

Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball, Wrestling

Girls PSAL teams

Basketball, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball

Coed PSAL teams

Golf

Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

45-35 Van Dam Street
Queens NY 11101

Trains: 7 Line to Rawson St-33rd St; E Line, M Line, R Line to Queens Plaza

Buses: B24, B62, Q100, Q101, Q102, Q32, Q39, Q60, Q67


Contact

Principal: Jaclyn Valane

Parent Coordinator: Harry Schutz

Phone: 718-392-3433

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the Middle College Campus with one other school

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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