The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Science. The lowest is 13% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Southwest Leadership Academy Cs
Southwest Leadership Academy CS is a charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in the Paschall Avenue area of Southwest Philadelphia. It is a neighborhood-embedded school operating as part of the larger Southwest Leadership Academy Charter School district. The school carries recent institutional history that families should understand clearly.
In 2023, the Philadelphia Board of Education voted not to renew the school's charter, citing academic underperformance, legal violations, and financial issues. That decision would have led to closure. In January 2024, the board reversed course and granted a conditional five-year renewal retroactive to 2022 and expiring in 2027, contingent on the school meeting nineteen specific conditions covering academic performance, governance, special education certification, and financial controls. This conditional status is material. The school's immediate future is secure through 2027, but its continued operation depends on demonstrable progress against those conditions. For families enrolling now, the charter is in force, but the school operates under active oversight and accountability measures.
The student body is predominantly Black, with a substantial share of Hispanic students and very small representation from other groups. Virtually all students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a very low-income enrollment. The school enrolls roughly equal numbers of students across kindergarten through eighth grade, with a slight dip at the upper grades. Data on special education enrollment and English learner status were not available.
State testing results show the school is struggling with academic proficiency. On the most recent math assessment, only about one in eight students tested achieved proficiency. In English language arts, roughly one in five students met proficiency. Science proficiency was noticeably higher at around forty percent, though that data is from an earlier year. These numbers are substantially below typical district and state benchmarks. A parent may want to discuss directly with the school what remediation efforts are underway and what outcomes have been achieved since the school implemented its academic interventionist and social-emotional support additions.
In response to the charter-renewal crisis, the school has added academic interventionists, expanded individual and group counseling, and created Saturday programming and a summer bridge program. These supports are now standing features of the school's daily and annual rhythm. Families should understand that these additions reflect the school's effort to raise achievement and support student well-being, and that the school is actively monitoring and adjusting its approach.
Housing in the 19142 ZIP code where the school sits is substantially more affordable than the Pennsylvania or national median home value. Monthly rents are moderate by urban standards. The neighborhood remains a residential area, though Southwest Philadelphia as a whole experiences uneven economic conditions and is not among the city's higher-growth zones.
The school operates in a city context where public transit is extensive, walkability scores are high in many neighborhoods, and civic infrastructure including parks, libraries, and museums are widely distributed. Philadelphia proper has seen modest recent population growth concentrated mainly in Center City, while outer neighborhoods like Southwest have grown more slowly.
Because the school serves only grades K-8, no graduation rate is available. A student exiting the school at eighth grade would transition to a district or charter high school for grades nine through twelve. The comparison fact-set for county districts was not applicable to this school-level analysis.
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