The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in Science. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Global Leadership Academy Cs Southwest at Huey
Global Leadership Academy CS Southwest at Huey is a charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Southwest Philadelphia. The school enrolls a student body that is almost entirely Black, with minimal Asian, Hispanic, and white enrollment. Nearly the entire enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a student population living in substantial economic hardship.
The school's academic performance is significantly below state standards. In the most recent mathematics assessment for grades three through eight, fewer than one in twenty students scored at proficient or above. English language arts proficiency was similarly low, with about one in six students meeting the standard. Science data from the prior year showed a somewhat stronger result, with roughly one in three students proficient, though this still reflects performance well below state norms. State assessment data does not include participation rates, and the school's average scale scores in mathematics and English are not publicly reported. Trend data is not available, so there is no way to know if performance is improving or declining.
The school is medium-sized for its grade band, with enrollment spread across all nine grades. Kindergarten and grades four and five are among the larger cohorts, while the upper grades have somewhat smaller cohorts. The school's special education and English learner populations are not reported in available data.
This school operates under significant institutional uncertainty. In May 2026, the Philadelphia School District's Charter Schools Office recommended nonrenewal of the school's charter, citing failure to meet academic, organizational, and financial benchmarks over a multiyear evaluation period. Nonrenewal proceedings typically move toward a decision in the following school year. As a Renaissance charter (a charter authorized to operate a former district school), if the charter is not renewed, the school would revert to district management as Huey Elementary. A parent considering this school should speak directly with the school's leadership and the district about the current status of that proceeding and what transition plans, if any, exist.
A second institutional constraint affects pathway planning. The school's leadership has sought to open an associated charter high school to serve as a feeder for GLA Southwest students, but the Philadelphia Board of Education has denied those applications multiple times, most recently in 2024. This means families at GLA Southwest do not have a guaranteed in-network high school option and must compete in Philadelphia's high school enrollment process, which includes selective schools and neighborhood assignments.
The school is located on Pine Street in the 19143 ZIP code in Southwest Philadelphia. Housing in that ZIP code is substantially less expensive than state or national benchmarks, though rents have risen modestly in recent quarters. The neighborhood is part of the walkable urban fabric typical of Philadelphia's rowhouse areas, with access to SEPTA transit.
A parent evaluating this school should weigh the severe academic performance data, the current charter renewal risk, and the lack of a high school pathway against whatever instructional or program strengths the school offers. School staff can speak to curriculum, instructional approach, and community environment in ways this data cannot capture. But the quantitative evidence of student learning outcomes and the institutional instability are material facts that should anchor any family decision.
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