The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in Science. The lowest is 1% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Young Scholars Cs
Young Scholars CS is a charter school serving grades five through eight in North Philadelphia. It is a free, open-enrollment school drawing students from across the city. The enrollment is small, with the full school comprising mostly middle grades, and all students currently qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The student population is predominantly Black, with smaller numbers of Hispanic and multiracial students, and a very small presence of Asian and white students.
This is a school with weak state testing results across all measured subjects. In math, proficiency fell to an extremely low level on the most recent state assessment. In English language arts, proficiency was also very low. Science results, from an earlier year, were higher but still well below typical performance; state testing data for science in the most recent year were not available. A parent looking at these numbers may want to reach out to the school directly to understand the school's approach to instruction and what drives these outcomes, and to ask how the school supports students who enter below grade level or in academic need.
The school recently completed a significant structural change, adding a fifth grade to become a full five-through-eight school beginning in the 2025-26 school year. This expansion gives Philadelphia families a new entry point at an earlier grade and extends the duration a student can spend in the program. The school underwent a formal charter renewal review in 2022, a standard process through which the School District of Philadelphia determines whether to continue authorizing the school to operate.
Specific data on special education enrollment, English learner enrollment, chronic absenteeism, or school discipline were not available. Information on staffing, course offerings, or the school's strategic priorities was not provided.
Young Scholars CS sits in Philadelphia's North neighborhoods, which anchor a broader city economy centered on healthcare, higher education, financial services, and life sciences. Philadelphia itself is dense, walkable, and organized around strong neighborhood identity, with civic life anchored in Center City and major institutions spread across the city and in University City. The city is in a period of moderate growth concentrated mainly in Greater Center City, though overall population remains below its 2020 peak. Housing values in the school's zip code are above the state median, and rents have risen modestly in recent quarters. A parent choosing this school would be doing so based on factors like proximity, the open-enrollment lottery access, or a belief in the school's mission or approach, since the academic results do not support a choice based on current achievement levels.
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