The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Feltonville Sch of Arts & Sciences
Feltonville School of Arts and Sciences is a middle school serving grades six through eight in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. It enrolls a student body that is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share of Black students and smaller numbers of Asian and multiracial students. Essentially all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the school's location in a low-income area of the city.
The school's recent state assessment results show very weak performance across tested subjects. In mathematics, proficiency was in the single digits. In English language arts, proficiency reached one-fifth of the student body. Science proficiency, from the most recent available year, sat around one-fifth as well. These figures place the school well below where district and state expectations lie. For a parent evaluating a middle school, these results signal that the majority of students are not meeting grade-level standards in core academics.
The Philadelphia school district recently shifted its instructional approach district-wide, adopting new curricula in both mathematics and English language arts beginning in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, respectively. The math program is Illustrative Mathematics, while ELA instruction now follows a science-of-reading approach through EL Education. Early results have been mixed; reading proficiency actually declined by a percentage point in the first year under the new ELA materials. These shifts directly shape the classroom experience at Feltonville and every other school in the district. A parent may want to look into how the new instructional materials are being implemented at this particular school and whether the school has strategies in place to address the substantial proficiency gaps.
The district is also undergoing a major facilities restructuring approved in April 2026, with 17 school closures beginning in the 2026-27 school year. Feltonville does not appear on the closure list, but the broader reshuffling of catchments and co-locations across the city will affect enrollment patterns and school assignments citywide.
Philadelphia itself is a dense, highly walkable city with strong neighborhood character and extensive public transit. Housing values in the school's ZIP code are modest, and rental costs are moderate relative to income. The city's economy rests on healthcare, higher education, life sciences, and financial services, with major employers including the University of Pennsylvania, Comcast, Children's Hospital, and the school district itself.
State assessment data alone does not tell the full story of a school's environment, support systems, or day-to-day culture. A parent interested in Feltonville should connect directly with the school to understand its specific offerings, staff stability, student support services, and how leadership is working to close the academic performance gap reflected in the state test results.
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