The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in Science. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mastery Cs-francis D. Pastorius Elementary
Mastery CS-Francis D. Pastorius Elementary is a charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia. It is a single-school charter entity, meaning it does not sit within a traditional district structure; instead, the school itself is its own LEA (local education agency) answerable to the Pennsylvania Charter Board and the Philadelphia School District's Charter Schools Office.
The school has an enrollment of about 650 students, nearly all of whom come from economically low-income backgrounds. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Black, with smaller populations of Hispanic and multiracial students; Asian and white enrollment are minimal. The school operates in a dense urban neighborhood and is one point in a network of Mastery Charter Schools.
On state assessments, Pastorius's results are low. In the most recent tested year (2024-25 for math and reading), the school reported proficiency rates in math and reading that are well below the state median. On the 2023-24 science assessment, the proficiency rate was higher but still below state norms. These figures represent a sustained decline from earlier years; post-pandemic testing showed a marked and lasting drop across Mastery's Philadelphia schools, a shift that parents should evaluate carefully when considering this as an option.
The school's charter was up for renewal in 2022, a process in which the Philadelphia School District's Charter Schools Office evaluates whether the school meets its obligations and remains viable. Families in the Germantown attendance zone (comprising two specific ZIP codes) are eligible to enroll. Students from outside that zone are not.
In its broader network context, Mastery Schools launched a new strategic plan covering 2024 through 2029 and, in 2023-24, introduced a newly created set of leadership competencies and a redesigned performance management system for the first time in over a decade. These shifts in pedagogy and professional practice will influence teaching and leadership at Pastorius in the coming years. For families considering this school, the combination of low current test performance, the documented post-pandemic proficiency decline across the network, and the ongoing leadership changes would warrant a detailed conversation with the school about how instruction is being addressed and what academic supports are in place for students who are performing below grade level.
Housing in the 19138 ZIP code where the school is located is modest in cost relative to the state and national benchmarks, with home values considerably lower and rents lower as well. The neighborhood sits in North Philadelphia, part of a historically working-class, predominantly Black residential area with strong community ties. Walkability is good for much of the city, though this particular neighborhood is less dense and amenity-rich than Center City or the waterfront neighborhoods. Employment and service access depend on transit; SEPTA bus service connects the area to the broader city.
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