The top reported proficiency rate is 16% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Memphis Street Academy Cs @ Jp Jones
Memphis Street Academy Charter School @ JP Jones is a middle school serving grades five through eight in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood, and it occupies a uniquely precarious position that prospective families must weigh carefully before committing to enrollment.
The school enrolls roughly five hundred forty students, nearly all of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is majority Hispanic, with a substantial Black population and small numbers of Asian and white students. Gender distribution across the grades shows increasing enrollment in the upper middle grades.
The school's academic results are notably weak across all measured subjects. In math, proficiency sits well below what students typically demonstrate in the city and state, with only a small fraction of test-takers meeting proficiency standards. English language arts proficiency is higher in relative terms but still quite low, while science proficiency is among the lowest recorded. These results reflect an underlying instructional or support challenge that the school has not resolved.
The most significant issue prospective families must understand is the school's operational status. In June 2022, the Philadelphia Board of Education voted to require the school to surrender its charter, concluding it had failed to meet seven of fourteen agreed-upon benchmarks for academic growth and attendance. The school continued to operate on an expired charter while appealing that decision. In July 2025, a federal judge ruled the surrender clause was enforceable and ordered the school to close. The school's operator, American Paradigm Schools, has filed an appeal and continues operating while that appeal proceeds. This means there is no certainty the school will exist beyond the current school year or the next. For any parent considering enrollment, this lack of operational stability is itself a major factor. The school may continue to exist for some time during the appeal process, but families should view enrollment as carrying real risk and should simultaneously plan for enrollment at an alternative middle school in the School District of Philadelphia.
Beyond the closure threat, the school offers no distinctive programs or curriculum features that appear in available public information. It is described as a regular public school, which in the charter context means it does not serve a specialized population or follow an unusual pedagogical model. The school is located in Northeast Philadelphia, an area of historic rowhouses and strong neighborhood identity within the larger city.
Housing in the school's immediate zip code is relatively affordable compared to Center City and University City, though like much of Philadelphia, rents have risen steadily in recent years.
Any family choosing to enroll here should do so with clear eyes about both the academic performance and the existential uncertainty surrounding the school's future.
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