The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lingelbach Anna L Sch
Lingelbach Anna L School is a small neighborhood school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in the Cobbs Creek section of northwest Philadelphia. The school enrolls a modest but full student body drawn almost entirely from the immediately surrounding residential area, which is predominantly Black and low-income. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the neighborhood.
On Pennsylvania's standardized assessments in 2024-25, proficiency rates at Lingelbach ran below state expectations. In English language arts, a little under half the students tested met proficiency standards. In math, the share was lower, around a quarter of students. Science results from 2022-23 showed a similar gap. These numbers are consistent with the pattern in many Philadelphia neighborhood schools serving high-poverty enrollment, where chronic systemic challenges in resources, staffing, and student support have been longstanding. A parent evaluating this school would want to look into the school's specific supports, teaching quality in core subjects, and whether the building itself meets current standards, especially given the district-wide facilities plan announced in early 2026 that will close and reconfigure schools across the city over the next several years.
The Philadelphia School District has committed substantial resources in recent years to standardizing what and how teachers teach. Beginning in 2023-24, every school adopted a new math curriculum (Illustrative Mathematics), and the following year, a science-of-reading English curriculum (EL Education for K-8). These are not minor shifts; they reset the day-to-day instructional experience for every child. The reading curriculum rollout saw mixed reception and a small dip in results in the first year, suggesting a transition period as teachers adjust to new materials and methods. The trajectory of reading instruction at Lingelbach over the next year or two will be worth tracking as the school community settles into the new approach.
The neighborhood around the school is predominantly residential rowhouses in a working-class part of the city. Philadelphia as a whole has been growing modestly for the past two years after pandemic losses, but that growth is heavily concentrated downtown and in mixed-use commercial corridors like Rittenhouse Square and Northern Liberties. Neighborhoods like the one Lingelbach serves have not seen comparable investment or population gains. Housing prices in the school's ZIP code are well below the state median, and rents remain modest, reflecting limited demand pressure. This housing affordability is a plus for families seeking to buy or rent near the school, but it also signals that the area has not been a priority for the city's recent wave of residential development.
The district is in the midst of substantial change. In early 2026, the Board approved a facilities master plan that will close seventeen schools systemwide beginning in the 2026-27 school year and modernize dozens more over the coming decade. Lingelbach is not explicitly named in the public reporting available, but any family considering this school should confirm its status with the district directly, since the closures and mergers will reshape school assignments across the city and may affect commutes and program access for years to come.
For a family in this neighborhood seeking an affordable, accessible local elementary and middle school with recent investment in reading and math instruction, Lingelbach is the neighborhood option. The proficiency gaps are real and reflect the broader challenges in the district, but they do not distinguish this school uniquely; they are part of a larger pattern. A parent's choice here will hinge less on test scores than on whether the school's specific leadership, teaching team, and community feel like a good match, and whether the student support systems in place address their child's particular needs.
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