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Philadelphia Public Schools, Explained

Philadelphia works differently from its suburbs. A suburb is usually one school district, so comparing districts tells you most of what you need to know. The School District of Philadelphia is a single district that runs 218 schools for about 118,000 students, and they are not interchangeable. Here you choose the school, not the district.

The district runs selective-admission magnet schools that are among the best in Pennsylvania, neighborhood schools whose results track the poverty of the blocks around them, career and technical schools, and small innovative high schools that do not test like traditional ones. A single district-wide average blurs all of that together, so this page keeps the schools separate and links each one to its own official numbers.

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The district-wide picture, and why to read past it

Across every school it runs, the district’s 2025 results averaged 33% proficient in English and 25% in math, with a 74.7% four-year graduation rate. Those averages cover an enormous range: from magnet schools where nine in ten students read at grade level to neighborhood high schools in high-poverty areas where few test proficient. The average is real, but it is not any one school, so read the schools one at a time below.

About 80,000 more Philadelphia children attend charter and cyber-charter schools. Those are publicly funded but run independently and report their results separately, so they are not part of the district figures shown here.

High schools (55)

Academy at PalumboGrades 9–12 · 1,188 studentsArts Academy at Benjamin RushGrades 9–12 · 583 studentsBartram John - MainGrades 9–12 · 526 studentsBodine William W High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 464 studentsBuilding 21Grades 9–12 · 382 studentsCentral High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 2,287 studentsCreative and Performing ArtsGrades 9–12 · 654 studentsDobbins Area Vocational-Technical High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 769 studentsEdison High School/Fareira SkillsGrades 9–12 · 887 studentsFels Samuel High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 1,235 studentsFrankford High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 857 studentsFranklin Benjamin High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 543 studentsFranklin LCGrades 9–12 · 763 studentsFurness Horace High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 822 studentsGampGrades 5–12 · 577 studentsGirls High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 722 studentsHigh School of Engineering & ScienceGrades 7–12 · 843 studentsHill Freedman World AcademyGrades 6–12 · 572 studentsKensington Creative & Performing Arts High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 499 studentsKensington Health SciencesGrades 9–12 · 449 studentsKensington High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 460 studentsKing Martin Luther High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 527 studentsLankenau High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 260 studentsLincoln High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 2,201 studentsMastbaum Jules E Area Vocational-Technical SchoolGrades 9–12 · 588 studentsMasterman Julia R Sec SchoolGrades 5–12 · 1,199 studentsMotivation High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 237 studentsNational Constitution Center High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 398 studentsNortheast High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 3,264 studentsOlney High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 1,223 studentsOverbrook High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 391 studentsParkway Center City Middle CollegeGrades 9–12 · 426 studentsParkway NorthwestGrades 9–12 · 218 studentsParkway WestGrades 9–12 · 167 studentsPenn Treaty SchoolGrades 6–12 · 426 studentsPhiladelphia Learning Academy - NorthGrades 9–12 · 85 studentsPhiladelphia Learning Academy - WestGrades 9–12 · 60 studentsPhiladelphia Military Academy at ElversonGrades 9–12 · 316 studentsRandolph A. Philip Area Vocational-Technical High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 436 studentsRobeson High School for Human ServicesGrades 9–12 · 289 studentsRoxborough High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 625 studentsSaul W B Agricultural SchoolGrades 9–12 · 414 studentsSayre William L Middle SchoolGrades 9–12 · 424 studentsSchool of the FutureGrades 9–12 · 560 studentsScience Leadership AcademyGrades 9–12 · 500 studentsSouth Philadelphia High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 656 studentsStrawberry Mansion High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 245 studentsSwenson Arts and Technology High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 842 studentsThe LincGrades 9–12 · 226 studentsThe Science Leadership Academy at BeeberGrades 5–12 · 557 studentsThe U School: Innovative LabGrades 9–12 · 203 studentsThe Workshop SchoolGrades 9–12 · 189 studentsVaux High School: A Big Picture SchoolGrades 9–12 · 302 studentsWashington George High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 1,886 studentsWest Philadelphia High SchoolGrades 9–12 · 593 students

Middle schools (14)

AMY at MartinGrades 6–8 · 208 studentsAMY NWGrades 6–8 · 134 studentsBaldi C C A Middle SchoolGrades 6–8 · 1,515 studentsCastor Gardens Middle SchoolGrades 6–8 · 1,269 studentsClemente Roberto Middle SchoolGrades 6–8 · 203 studentsConwell Russell Middle SchoolGrades 5–8 · 127 studentsFeltonville School of Arts & SciencesGrades 6–8 · 554 studentsHarding Warren G Middle SchoolGrades 6–8 · 602 studentsJohn B Stetson Middle SchoolGrades 5–8 · 554 studentsMiddle Years AlternativeGrades 5–8 · 155 studentsScience Leadership Academy Middle SchoolGrades 5–8 · 352 studentsTilden William T Middle SchoolGrades 5–8 · 278 studentsWagner Gen Louis Middle SchoolGrades 6–8 · 301 studentsWashington Grover Junior SchoolGrades 5–8 · 428 students

Elementary schools (149)

Adaire Alexander SchoolGrades PK–8 · 416 studentsAllen Dr Ethel SchoolGrades PK–8 · 329 studentsAllen Ethan SchoolGrades K–8 · 912 studentsAnderson Add B SchoolGrades PK–8 · 384 studentsBache-Martin SchoolGrades PK–8 · 567 studentsBarry Comm John SchoolGrades PK–8 · 512 studentsBarton Clara SchoolGrades K–2 · 501 studentsBethune Mary McLeod SchoolGrades PK–8 · 451 studentsBlaine James G SchoolGrades PK–8 · 321 studentsBlankenburg Rudolph SchoolGrades PK–8 · 257 studentsBregy F Amedee SchoolGrades PK–8 · 251 studentsBridesburg SchoolGrades K–8 · 547 studentsBrown Henry A SchoolGrades PK–8 · 306 studentsBrown Joseph SchoolGrades K–8 · 445 studentsBryant William C SchoolGrades PK–8 · 366 studentsCarnell Laura H SchoolGrades K–5 · 637 studentsCatharine Joseph SchoolGrades PK–5 · 421 studentsCayuga SchoolGrades K–5 · 335 studentsChilds George W SchoolGrades PK–8 · 443 studentsComegys Benjamin B SchoolGrades K–8 · 267 studentsComly Watson SchoolGrades K–5 · 587 studentsCook-Wissahickon SchoolGrades PK–8 · 412 studentsCooke Jay Middle SchoolGrades K–8 · 397 studentsCramp William SchoolGrades PK–5 · 378 studentsCrossan Kennedy C SchoolGrades K–5 · 318 studentsDay Anna B SchoolGrades PK–8 · 354 studentsDeBurgos Bilingual Magnet Middle SchoolGrades K–8 · 608 studentsDecatur Stephen SchoolGrades K–8 · 965 studentsDick William SchoolGrades K–8 · 308 studentsDisston Hamilton SchoolGrades K–8 · 735 studentsDobson James SchoolGrades K–8 · 230 studentsDuckrey Tanner SchoolGrades K–8 · 422 studentsDunbar Paul L SchoolGrades PK–8 · 229 studentsElkin Lewis SchoolGrades K–4 · 533 studentsEllwood SchoolGrades PK–5 · 295 studentsEmlen Eleanor C SchoolGrades PK–5 · 326 studentsFanny Jackson Coppin SchoolGrades PK–8 · 537 studentsFarrell Louis H SchoolGrades K–8 · 1,150 studentsFell D Newlin SchoolGrades K–8 · 534 studentsFeltonville Intermediate SchoolGrades 3–5 · 500 studentsFinletter Thomas K SchoolGrades PK–8 · 632 studentsFitler Academics PlusGrades K–8 · 177 studentsFitzpatrick Aloysius L SchoolGrades PK–8 · 847 studentsForrest Edwin SchoolGrades PK–5 · 819 studentsFox Chase SchoolGrades K–5 · 472 studentsFrank Anne SchoolGrades PK–5 · 1,483 studentsFranklin Benjamin SchoolGrades K–8 · 588 studentsFranklin S Edmonds SchoolGrades PK–8 · 413 studentsGideon Edward SchoolGrades PK–8 · 209 studentsGirard Stephen SchoolGrades K–4 · 278 studentsGreenberg Joseph SchoolGrades K–8 · 860 studentsGreenfield Albert M SchoolGrades K–8 · 730 studentsGuidon S Bluford Elementary SchoolGrades K–8 · 531 studentsHackett Horatio B SchoolGrades PK–5 · 442 studentsHamilton Andrew SchoolGrades K–8 · 354 studentsHarrington Avery D SchoolGrades K–8 · 289 studentsHartranft John F SchoolGrades K–8 · 294 studentsHenry Charles W SchoolGrades K–8 · 496 studentsHeston Edward SchoolGrades PK–8 · 315 studentsHolme Thomas SchoolGrades PK–8 · 792 studentsHopkinson Francis SchoolGrades K–8 · 606 studentsHouston Henry E SchoolGrades K–8 · 419 studentsHowe Julia Ward SchoolGrades K–5 · 210 studentsHunter William H SchoolGrades PK–8 · 407 studentsJenks Abram SchoolGrades K–5 · 255 studentsJohn Hancock Demonstration SchoolGrades K–8 · 762 studentsJohn Story Jenks Academy for the Arts and SciencesGrades K–8 · 385 studentsJuniata Park AcademyGrades K–8 · 865 studentsKearny Gen Philip SchoolGrades K–8 · 166 studentsKelley William D SchoolGrades PK–8 · 227 studentsKelly John B SchoolGrades K–5 · 352 studentsKenderton Elementary SchoolGrades K–8 · 283 studentsKey Francis Scott SchoolGrades K–6 · 386 studentsKirkbride Eliza B SchoolGrades PK–8 · 504 studentsLamberton Robert E SchoolGrades PK–8 · 324 studentsLawton Henry W SchoolGrades PK–5 · 567 studentsLea Henry C SchoolGrades PK–8 · 484 studentsLewis C Cassidy Academics Plus SchoolGrades K–8 · 217 studentsLingelbach Anna L SchoolGrades K–8 · 331 studentsLocke Alain SchoolGrades K–8 · 261 studentsLoesche William H SchoolGrades PK–5 · 1,166 studentsLogan James SchoolGrades PK–5 · 243 studentsLongstreth William C SchoolGrades PK–8 · 262 studentsLowell James R SchoolGrades PK–4 · 522 studentsLudlow James R SchoolGrades PK–8 · 202 studentsMarian Anderson Neighborhood AcademyGrades K–8 · 309 studentsMarshall John SchoolGrades K–5 · 236 studentsMarshall ThurgoodGrades PK–8 · 628 studentsMayfair SchoolGrades K–8 · 1,688 studentsMcCall Gen George A SchoolGrades K–8 · 617 studentsMcCloskey John F SchoolGrades PK–8 · 247 studentsMcClure Alexander K SchoolGrades PK–5 · 445 studentsMcDaniel Delaplaine SchoolGrades K–8 · 232 studentsMcKinley William SchoolGrades PK–8 · 323 studentsMcMichael Morton SchoolGrades PK–8 · 280 studentsMeade Gen George C SchoolGrades PK–8 · 279 studentsMeredith William M SchoolGrades K–8 · 515 studentsMifflin Thomas SchoolGrades PK–8 · 387 studentsMitchell Elementary SchoolGrades PK–8 · 295 studentsMoffet John SchoolGrades K–5 · 224 studentsMoore J Hampton SchoolGrades K–5 · 1,138 studentsMorris Robert SchoolGrades PK–8 · 200 studentsMorrison Andrew J SchoolGrades K–8 · 522 studentsMorton Thomas G SchoolGrades K–5 · 353 studentsMunoz-Marin LuisGrades PK–8 · 544 studentsNebinger George W SchoolGrades PK–8 · 404 studentsNortheast Community Propel AcademyGrades K–8 · 1,762 studentsOlney Elementary SchoolGrades K–8 · 693 studentsOverbrook Edu CtrGrades K–8 · 260 studentsOverbrook Elementary SchoolGrades PK–8 · 215 studentsPatterson John M SchoolGrades PK–4 · 399 studentsPeirce Thomas M SchoolGrades PK–5 · 189 studentsPenn Alexander SchoolGrades K–8 · 583 studentsPennell Joseph SchoolGrades PK–5 · 308 studentsPenrose SchoolGrades K–8 · 377 studentsPollock Robert B SchoolGrades K–8 · 744 studentsPotter-Thomas SchoolGrades K–8 · 361 studentsPowel Samuel SchoolGrades K–4 · 306 studentsPrince Hall SchoolGrades PK–5 · 375 studentsRhawnhurst SchoolGrades PK–5 · 646 studentsRhoads James SchoolGrades K–8 · 410 studentsRhodes E Washington SchoolGrades K–8 · 392 studentsRichmond SchoolGrades K–5 · 338 studentsRoosevelt Theodore Middle SchoolGrades K–8 · 436 studentsRowen William SchoolGrades K–5 · 309 studentsSamuel Gompers SchoolGrades K–8 · 238 studentsSamuel Pennypacker SchoolGrades PK–8 · 324 studentsSharswood George SchoolGrades PK–8 · 353 studentsShawmont SchoolGrades PK–8 · 417 studentsSheppard Isaac SchoolGrades K–4 · 133 studentsSheridan SchoolGrades K–5 · 461 studentsSolis-Cohen Solomon SchoolGrades K–5 · 1,278 studentsSouthwark SchoolGrades PK–8 · 966 studentsSpring Garden SchoolGrades K–8 · 254 studentsSpruance Gilbert SchoolGrades PK–8 · 1,255 studentsStanton Edwin M SchoolGrades PK–8 · 293 studentsStearne Allen M SchoolGrades K–8 · 386 studentsSteel Edward SchoolGrades PK–8 · 336 studentsSullivan James J SchoolGrades K–5 · 380 studentsTaggart John H SchoolGrades PK–8 · 524 studentsTaylor Bayard SchoolGrades K–5 · 386 studentsVare-Washington Elementary SchoolGrades PK–8 · 329 studentsWaring Laura W SchoolGrades PK–8 · 210 studentsWashington Martha SchoolGrades K–8 · 222 studentsWebster SchoolGrades PK–5 · 504 studentsWelsh John SchoolGrades K–8 · 253 studentsWillard Frances E SchoolGrades K–4 · 407 studentsWright Richard R SchoolGrades PK–5 · 259 studentsZiegler William H SchoolGrades K–8 · 513 students

School identity, grades, and enrollment: U.S. Department of Education (NCES Common Core of Data). Proficiency, attendance, and graduation: Pennsylvania Future Ready PA Index and the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2024-25. These are official public figures that describe each school, not individual students, and are context for families, not a rating or a ranking.

Common questions

How many public schools are in Philadelphia?

The School District of Philadelphia runs 218 schools for about 118,000 students. Another about 80,000 Philadelphia children attend charter and cyber-charter schools, which are publicly funded, run independently, and report separately, so they are not counted here.

What are the best schools in Philadelphia?

The district runs selective-admission magnet schools that are among the strongest in Pennsylvania, including Julia R. Masterman and Central High. Admission is by criteria such as grades and test scores, not by neighborhood, so a magnet's results are not the experience of a nearby neighborhood school. Look up any school below for its own official figures.

Why not compare Philadelphia to a suburban district?

A suburb is usually one district, so its average tells you most of what you need. Philadelphia is a single district running 218 very different schools, from magnets to high-poverty neighborhood schools, so a district-wide average blurs them together. In Philadelphia you choose the school, which is why this page keeps them separate.

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