The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in English language arts. The lowest is 31% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Stanton Edwin M Sch
Stanton Edwin M School is a small elementary and middle school in South Philadelphia, serving grades pre-K through eighth grade. The school sits in a neighborhood anchored by rowhouse residential blocks and neighborhood-level commercial strips, characteristic of Philadelphia's dense, walkable structure. The surrounding area is part of lower Moyamensing and adjacent districts, which have strong local neighborhood identity though with economic pressures typical of older urban neighborhoods.
The student body is nearly entirely comprised of children from low-income families; all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The population is majority Black, with meaningful Hispanic representation and smaller shares of white, Asian, and multiracial students. The school draws roughly equal numbers of students from each elementary grade, then a smaller eighth-grade cohort, reflecting typical urban enrollment patterns.
On state reading assessment for grades three through eight, the school's proficiency rate in English language arts is above the midpoint for its performance band. Science results, based on the most recent available assessment data from 2023, showed just over half the tested students meeting proficiency. Math proficiency, however, is substantially lower, at less than a third of students performing at proficient levels or above. The gap between reading and math is substantial and consistent with patterns seen in many under-resourced urban schools where reading instruction has received recent district attention. The district adopted a new science-of-reading ELA curriculum starting in 2024-25, which may have contributed to the reading performance shown here.
The school is part of the Philadelphia City School District, which is in the midst of significant structural change. The district rolled out new math and reading curricula citywide in recent years and is implementing a major facilities modernization plan that closes schools and reshapes attendance boundaries beginning in 2026-27. Parents should confirm the school's status under this plan and any changes to catchment areas that might affect enrollment or commute. The district also increased school funding through property tax reallocation and a reassessment, adding to the revenue base for schools like this one.
Housing in the surrounding ZIP code is modestly valued relative to national benchmarks and Pennsylvania state benchmarks. Rents have risen slightly year-over-year and remain affordable relative to median household income at the national level, though that income figure masks inequality within Philadelphia neighborhoods. The neighborhood has the character of an older, walkable urban district with strong transit access via SEPTA, which serves the entire five-county region.
Special education and English learner enrollment data were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those populations and the support infrastructure for students with those needs. The school does not report chronic absenteeism or discipline data in publicly available sources.
This is a neighborhood school serving a student population with substantial economic need and majority Black enrollment. Its reading results show meaningful proficiency; math results indicate students struggling to keep pace and a potential area for parent inquiry about instructional approach and support. For families in the attendance zone seeking a neighborhood school with that demographic and setting, a visit to observe classrooms and discuss the school's approach to math intervention would ground the choice.
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