The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in Science. The lowest is 20% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mastery Cs-smedley Campus
Mastery CS-Smedley Campus is a charter school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Philadelphia's Northeast section, on Bridge Street in the Frankford area. The school enrolls a student body that is majority African American with a substantial Hispanic population. Almost every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a reflection of the neighborhood's economic profile. The enrollment is distributed fairly evenly across the grade bands, with slightly more students in the upper elementary grades.
On state assessments, the school's results show particular strain in math. In the most recent testing year, proficiency in grades 3 through 8 fell well below what would support grade-level literacy and numeracy. English Language Arts performance was higher but still low in absolute terms. Science results, from the prior year, showed modestly better proficiency, though the tested sample was much smaller. These numbers place the school below typical proficiency for Philadelphia County schools and signal that reading, writing, and especially math instruction are areas where students are not yet acquiring grade-level competency at the rate the school would need for strong college and career preparation.
The school's charter was renewed in June 2025, but with conditions attached. The Philadelphia Charter Schools Office rated it as "approaching" but not yet meeting academic success standards, meaning the renewal secures operation through roughly 2030 but comes with ongoing scrutiny of academic performance. This is a relevant consideration for families making a multi-year commitment; renewal-with-conditions signals that the district sees room for improvement and will be monitoring.
The school is part of Mastery Schools, a charter network operating multiple campuses across Philadelphia. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, Mastery introduced a new English Language Arts curriculum, Amplify CKLA, across its elementary schools. This represents a significant shift in how reading and writing are taught and is worth exploring directly with the school if literacy instruction is a priority for your family. Students who complete sixth grade at Smedley can progress to Mastery's Lenfest Campus for grades 7 through 12, offering a pathway to stay within the network. Starting in fall 2025, Mastery is also implementing new graduation requirements focused on career-connected learning and competencies like digital literacy and communication, which will apply to Smedley students once they reach high school.
The neighborhood sits in Northeast Philadelphia, an area with modest housing values and rents well below both state and national benchmarks. The immediate community is walkable and served by public transit. Philadelphia as a whole is experiencing moderate but uneven growth, with most new development concentrated in Center City; neighborhoods like Frankford are more stable and established.
For a parent or resident considering Smedley, the key questions are whether the school's current academic performance aligns with your expectations, whether the new ELA curriculum signals meaningful improvement, and whether you are comfortable with the renewal-with-conditions status as you evaluate the school's trajectory. The school serves a high-need student population and is working toward stronger outcomes, but the current data does not show that it is yet achieving strong proficiency across the board.
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