The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Science. The lowest is 23% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lowell James R Sch
Lowell James R. School is a regular public elementary school in Philadelphia serving pre-kindergarten through fourth grade, located in Northeast Philadelphia. It enrolls a small population of students across six grade levels, with relatively even distribution across grades.
The school's student body is predominantly low-income. All students in the school qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating universal economic need. The enrollment is racially diverse, with a substantial majority of students identifying as Black, a meaningful share as Hispanic, and smaller populations of Asian students and students of two or more races. A very small number of students identify as white or Native American.
On state testing, the school's results in mathematics and English language arts in 2024-25 fell below where most districts aim. Just over one in five students scored at or above proficiency in math, and a similar proportion did so in reading. Science results from 2022-23 (the most recent available) were stronger, with around four in ten students proficient. The school serves grades only through fourth, so state testing covers grades three and four, and that data represents performance on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment for those grades. No multi-year trend data was available, so year-to-year progress cannot be assessed from the data provided.
The school does not report data on the rate of students with individualized education plans (IEPs) or English learners, so the scope of special education and language support services at the school cannot be determined from available sources. The district brief does not include information specific to early elementary schools on staffing, programs, or particular supports.
The broader context shapes what Lowell James serves. Philadelphia is a dense urban city where schools are embedded in residential neighborhoods as part of the street fabric rather than on separate campuses. The city has been growing modestly in recent years after pandemic losses, with the heaviest growth concentrated in Center City; growth in neighborhoods beyond the downtown core has been uneven. Housing in the city is generally affordable relative to national benchmarks, though prices have risen. The Philadelphia City School District has recently adopted new reading and mathematics curricula districtwide, introducing Illustrative Mathematics for K-12 and a science-of-reading ELA approach starting in 2024-25. The district also recently released a major facilities modernization plan that will reshape school assignments and close or repurpose schools beginning in 2026-27; a parent should check with the school or district to understand any planned changes affecting this school's building, catchment, or programs.
See more original research from School Decision →