The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in Science. The lowest is 29% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Catharine Joseph Sch
Catharine Joseph School serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Kingsessing neighborhood of southwest Philadelphia. It is a regular public school in the Philadelphia City School District.
The school's enrollment is small for its grade band. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Black, with meaningful representation of Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on special education identification and English learner status was not available.
On the state assessments most recently reported, the school's proficiency in math and English language arts, both at roughly that level, places it well below where the district and state aim for elementary instruction. Science proficiency, measured most recently in 2022-23, was somewhat higher. These results merit a closer look with the school itself. The school serves grades 3 through 5 on the tested assessments; grades PK through 2 are not assessed by the state.
The district is in the midst of its most substantial curriculum shift in years. In 2023-24 it adopted Illustrative Mathematics for all grades K-12, and in 2024-25 it rolled out new science-of-reading materials districtwide—EL Education for grades K through 8 and StudySync for high school. This standardizes how students learn to read and do math across all schools, though early results show a one-point drop in reading proficiency after the first year of implementation. A parent may want to understand with the school how Catharine Joseph is executing these new materials and what support structures exist for students who enter below grade level.
The Philadelphia housing market in the ZIP code around the school is modest in absolute terms but has been appreciating. The area has moderate walkability and is served by SEPTA transit. The broader city is experiencing uneven growth concentrated in Center City, while neighborhoods like Kingsessing remain more economically pressured. Property tax reform in 2024 increased the homestead exemption and redirected more city revenue to schools, but median neighborhood income remains below city averages.
The district is simultaneously undertaking a major facilities overhaul. An approved master plan will close schools beginning in 2026-27 and modernize campuses citywide over the coming decade. Whether Catharine Joseph is among those affected should be verified with the district, as the plan reshapes school catchment areas and where families send their children.
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