Original Research by School Decision on Mastery Cs-gratz Campus
Mastery Charter School Simon Gratz is a mid-sized charter network campus serving roughly 1,000 students in grades seven through twelve across the Philadelphia area. The school drew a recent five-year charter renewal with conditions from the Philadelphia school board, securing operational continuity through roughly 2030, which is a substantial marker for families planning enrollment over a student's full pathway through the school.
The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and very few students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Income data for the school was not available, so readers cannot assess the economic profile of the enrollment from the materials provided.
Academic testing results were not available in the data, so the school's proficiency standing relative to its peers in Philadelphia County cannot be characterized here. However, the publicly reported four-year graduation rate at Simon Gratz Mastery rose in recent years, reflecting a multi-year improvement trend that has lifted outcomes across Mastery's high schools. This growth in completion suggests the school's pathway has become more stable for students working toward a diploma.
Chronic absenteeism at the school sits above the midpoint among Philadelphia County's other districts. Per-pupil current spending is in the upper range for the county, reflecting the school's charter status and funding model. These metrics give a mixed picture of student engagement and resource allocation; a parent may want to learn more from the school directly about attendance supports and how the higher spending translates to classroom and program experience.
Two curriculum changes took effect recently and merit family attention. For the 2025-2026 school year, Mastery rolled out new ELA curricula (Amplify CKLA and Amplify ELA) across its elementary and middle schools. Gratz's middle school students in grade seven and eight will encounter this new pedagogy. Additionally, beginning with students who entered ninth grade in August 2025, Mastery implemented revised graduation requirements that add career-connected learning and competency-based expectations in digital literacy, self-management, communication, and critical consciousness. This redesign shifts what high school students must demonstrate to earn their diploma and when they need to start engaging with work-readiness pathways.
No state testing data, special education enrollment, English learner enrollment, or detailed program offerings were available in the provided records. Prospective families should reach out to the school directly to understand its course breadth, dual-credit or career pathway opportunities, and support services for students with disabilities or emerging English proficiency.
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