Original Research by School Decision on Phillis Wheatley Community School
Phillis Wheatley Community School serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in Orleans Parish. It is a single-school district, meaning the school and the district are one and the same, and its enrollment of approximately eight hundred students covers all grades from PK through eighth, with each grade level similar in size.
The student body reflects a specific demographic mix. The majority of students are Black, and more than a quarter are Hispanic. A handful of students are white, and a very small number identify as Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, or two or more races. The school does not report the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and it also does not report the number of students with disabilities or those who are English learners, so a parent or resident would need to ask the school directly about these aspects of student support.
Academic performance data is not available for this school. The state assessment results that typically provide a picture of proficiency in reading and math were not reported in the data we examined, so there is no comparison to state averages or other schools in New Orleans. Because the school serves middle grades, testing applies to those grade levels, yet no results appear. The lack of this information is a significant gap for any family trying to evaluate academic outcomes. The school also does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to consider.
The single metric that does place Phillis Wheatley among its neighbors is the chronic absenteeism rate, which falls in the bottom quartile among Orleans Parish's districts. At a level well above the midpoint for the county, this signals that a substantial portion of students miss enough school to affect learning. A parent looking at this school would want to understand what supports are in place to address attendance and whether the school's approach to student engagement fits their child's needs.
Per-pupil spending at Phillis Wheatley is in the lower range among the parish's districts, meaning the school operates with fewer financial resources per student than many of its peers. This may affect class sizes, materials, or enrichment offerings, though the data does not provide direct information on those specifics.
The district's recent changes or strategic priorities were not found in our search, so there is no record of major initiatives, program launches, or leadership transitions to report.
In summary, Phillis Wheatley Community School is a single-school PK-8 district in New Orleans with a student body that is predominantly Black and Hispanic. The absence of academic testing data and the elevated chronic absenteeism rate are the most notable features a family would want to investigate further. Without state assessment results, it is not possible to gauge the school's academic standing against others in Orleans Parish. A parent considering this school would likely want to visit, speak with staff, and ask directly about curriculum, academic supports, and how the school addresses attendance challenges.
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