The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in Science. The lowest is 14% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Waring Laura W Sch
Waring Laura W School is a small public elementary and middle school in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood, serving kindergarten through grade 8. The school enrolls a small population drawn almost entirely from its immediate area, with roughly equal distribution across the grade span, smaller cohorts in the upper grades. The vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, well above the district average, and the student body is predominantly Black, with smaller Asian and white populations and a small Hispanic enrollment.
The school's academic performance, measured by the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, is below proficiency thresholds across tested grades. In mathematics for grades 3 through 8, only a small fraction of students scored at proficient or advanced levels in the most recent school year. Reading performance was somewhat higher but still well below the half-point, with roughly a quarter of students meeting proficiency standards. Science proficiency, last measured in spring 2023, was near four in ten students. None of these results position the school as one with broad mastery of grade-level content. A parent considering Waring should expect that their child will likely encounter instruction focused on foundational skills and that the peer group will be working through similar material. The school may want to look into current intervention structures, teacher turnover, or recent instructional shifts with the district directly, since performance data alone does not reveal the school's response or trajectory.
Waring sits within the Philadelphia City School District, which in 2024-25 adopted a new K-12 English language arts curriculum based on the science of reading, following a similar shift to new mathematics materials the prior year. This represents the district's first standardized curriculum framework across all schools, replacing many years of school-by-school choice. The change means Waring's reading instruction now follows the same structured phonics and literacy approach as every other district school, rather than varying by building. Early results showed that reading proficiency dipped by about one point district-wide after the first year, and the district indicated that two-thirds of students still fall below proficiency. This context matters for parents: the school's scores reflect both its student population and a curriculum transition that is still establishing baseline performance under new materials.
Philadelphia itself is a dense, walkable city with strong neighborhood character and a major park system. Housing values in the zip code containing Waring are moderate relative to the national benchmark and have risen slightly in the past year; monthly rents likewise remain relatively modest and have held fairly stable. The area is served by extensive public transit, including SEPTA bus and subway lines. The city is growing modestly, with recent gains concentrated in Center City and waterfront areas; neighborhood-level change varies.
For families drawn to Waring, the school offers accessibility within a tight residential area and enrollment small enough for teachers to know students by name. The elementary-to-middle span provides continuity through eighth grade. The academic baseline is low, and prospective families should understand that the school serves a high-poverty student body and is still integrating new curriculum. Whether the new instructional materials and district support yield gains in the years ahead remains an open question; the school's past few years have been administratively unsettled as the district rolled out system-wide changes.
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