The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in Science. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hopkinson Francis Sch
Hopkinson Francis is a small neighborhood school in Northeast Philadelphia serving kindergarten through eighth grade, with an enrollment drawn almost entirely from the immediate surrounding area. The school's student body is predominantly Hispanic, followed by a substantial Black population, with smaller populations of Asian and White students. All students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the neighborhood. This is a school where virtually every student comes from a low-income household.
The most recent state test data shows weak academic proficiency across the tested subjects. In math, slightly more than one in ten students reached the proficient level. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was about one in five. Science data from an earlier year indicated proficiency at roughly one in three, though that test included fewer students. These numbers fall well below typical proficiency rates and suggest that many students are not meeting grade-level expectations in reading and math, the core subjects that underpin later learning.
The school serves a fairly typical elementary-through-middle enrollment for Philadelphia, with slightly larger classes in the middle grades (seventh and eighth) compared to kindergarten and first grade. The student count is stable and represents a genuine neighborhood school rather than a choice or themed program. No data was available on the share of students with disabilities or English learners, which are meaningful pieces of the student support picture that would help a parent understand whether the school has specialized services in place.
Philadelphia's school district has been undertaking a major curricular shift that directly affects how Hopkinson Francis teaches reading and math. Beginning in 2024-25, all elementary students across the district moved to a new English language arts curriculum emphasizing the science of reading, while math instruction shifted to Illustrative Mathematics in the prior year. These changes standardize how students are taught to read and solve problems, but early results showed a slight decline in reading scores district-wide after the first year. The school's current math and reading scores should be understood in this context of curriculum transition.
The broader neighborhood and city context matters for families considering this school. Philadelphia has been growing again after pandemic-era losses, with concentrated development downtown and in Center City but also reinvestment across neighborhoods. The area around Hopkinson Francis is a residential Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood within the rowhouse fabric of the city. Property values in the school's zip code are modest compared to state and national benchmarks, and rents are proportionally accessible, though the very high share of students on free or reduced lunch suggests many families in the zone face economic constraints. The city's transit system provides regional rail and bus service, though Northeast Philadelphia requires more car dependence than Center City neighborhoods.
A parent considering this school may want to look into the details of how the school is implementing the new district curriculum and whether there are additional reading supports in place, given the recent transition and the proficiency numbers. The data does not show whether the school has added tutoring, small-group instruction, or other targeted help for students not yet reading at grade level. The school's location and enrollment suggest a stable, neighborhood-based environment, but the test results indicate students are entering and progressing through the school significantly below grade-level expectations in core subjects.
See more original research from School Decision →