The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Science. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cayuga School
Cayuga School is a small public elementary school in the Feltonville neighborhood of North Philadelphia, serving children from kindergarten through fifth grade. The school draws almost entirely from the surrounding residential area and sits within a neighborhood that is predominantly Hispanic, with a significant Black population, and with very high rates of economic disadvantage. Nearly all enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
The school's academic profile reflects the challenges of its catchment and student population. In the most recent state assessment data available, math and English language arts proficiency rates were very low—around one in ten students scored at proficient or above on the state assessment in each subject. Science performance, measured in 2022-23, was substantially higher, with about half of tested students reaching proficiency. It is worth noting that science data is not current; state testing data was not available for science in the 2024-25 school year, so the picture in reading and math is the most recent. A parent may want to look into further with the school what specific supports and interventions are in place to address the large proficiency gaps in foundational skills, and what the school's own internal assessments show about student progress through the year.
Enrollment is small and stable, with roughly equal numbers of students in each grade band, totaling just over three hundred students across the school. The student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with a smaller but meaningful Black population and very few students of other backgrounds. The overwhelming majority of families qualify for free meals, reflecting deep economic hardship in the catchment area.
Cayuga is part of the Philadelphia City School District, which is currently undergoing significant instructional and organizational change. The district has rolled out new standardized mathematics and English language arts curricula districtwide—Illustrative Mathematics for K-12 starting in 2023-24 and a science-of-reading approach in ELA starting in 2024-25. These are the frameworks now in place at Cayuga. Reading scores did decline by a small margin in the first year of the new ELA materials, and the district reports that two-thirds of students remain below proficiency in reading. The district is also in the early stages of a major facilities modernization and consolidation plan that will reshape school catchments and building assignments across the city over the coming decade, though Cayuga does not appear to be on the closure or co-location list at this time.
The neighborhood around Cayuga has limited walkability compared to other parts of Philadelphia, though the city as a whole is highly walkable and well-served by transit. The wider city economy is anchored by healthcare, higher education, financial services, and life sciences. Housing values in the zip code are low relative to the city and state, and rental costs are modest, reflecting the economic character of the neighborhood.
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