The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in Science. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lewis C Cassidy Academics Plus Sch
Lewis C Cassidy Academics Plus serves grades K through 8 in Northeast Philadelphia, operating as a regular public school within the Philadelphia City School District. The school enrolled a small cohort, with students distributed fairly evenly across the grade span, from kindergarten through eighth grade.
The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller Hispanic presence and very few white or multiracial students. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the neighborhood the school serves. Data on English learners and special education enrollment were not available.
Academic performance, as measured by Pennsylvania's state assessment in 2024-25, was quite low. In mathematics for grades 3-8, only a very small share of students achieved proficiency. English language arts results were similarly weak, with less than a fifth of students scoring proficient or above. Science results from 2022-23, the most recent data available for that subject, were somewhat stronger but still below the level at which most students demonstrate grade-level skill. The school has just begun implementing the Philadelphia School District's new "science of reading" ELA curriculum this year, and a new mathematics curriculum the year before; early districtwide reception has been mixed, with reading scores dipping after the first year of the new approach.
The neighborhood surrounding the school is in Northeast Philadelphia. Housing values in the broader zip code are below state and national averages. Rental costs remain modest relative to national standards, though rental growth in the area has accelerated somewhat in recent months. The area sits outside the concentrated growth of Center City and University City, and economic conditions reflect those of a lower-income urban residential zone.
Philadelphia itself is in a period of measured recovery and selective growth, with Center City and University City leading expansion while other parts of the city grow more slowly. The broader city economy is anchored by healthcare, higher education, life sciences, and financial services, with major employers including the University of Pennsylvania, Comcast, Independence Blue Cross, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The city is highly walkable, with extensive public transit, parks, and library resources. The district is undertaking a major curriculum transition that directly affects how students are taught to read and do math, and it has just approved a facilities master plan over the coming decade that will close schools, consolidate others, and modernize aging buildings; a parent may want to check whether Cassidy is affected by those changes.
See more original research from School Decision →