The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in Science. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on The Philadelphia Cs for Arts and Sciences at Hr Edmunds
The Philadelphia CS for Arts and Sciences at HR Edmunds is a small K-8 charter school in Northeast Philadelphia serving a student population that is largely economically disadvantaged and predominantly Black and Hispanic. Understanding this school requires attention to both its current academic standing and a significant operational uncertainty that directly affects families considering it.
The school enrolls students across all nine grades from kindergarten through eighth grade. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is fairly evenly split between Black and Hispanic students, with very small numbers of white, Asian, and multiracial students. The school is located in a neighborhood where housing values are modest by regional standards, and rents are relatively affordable.
Academic performance as measured by state testing shows a school facing real challenges. In English language arts, proficiency rates are quite low. In mathematics, proficiency is even lower, with only a small handful of students meeting grade-level standards in 2025. Science results from the most recent available year (2023) were somewhat higher, though still below where most families would expect a K-8 school to perform. These numbers suggest that a student entering or already at this school is in an environment where grade-level academic progress is not the norm, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what instruction looks like, how struggling students are supported, and what the school's trajectory on these metrics has been.
The comparison data for schools within Philadelphia County are too limited to place this school against its neighbors; the state assessment results alone do not allow for a meaningful ranking.
There is an important institutional factor that shapes any decision about this school. In 2022 and 2023, the Philadelphia School Board voted not to renew the school's charter, citing concerns about academic performance and governance issues tied to the school's management company. The charter remains in effect as of now while the school pursues an appeal under state law, but this status means the school's long-term future is uncertain. For families weighing enrollment, this is material information. A parent considering sending a child here should understand that while the school is operating today, its continued existence beyond the current school year is not guaranteed, and any family should have a plan for what enrollment elsewhere would look like if the charter is not renewed on appeal.
The school sits in Philadelphia's urban fabric, in a walkable city with extensive public transit, public parks, libraries, and a strong neighborhood-based school culture. It is one of many school options in the city, which offers families choice but also means comparing multiple settings is part of the enrollment decision.
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