The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in Science. The lowest is 5% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Allen Dr Ethel Sch
Allen Dr Ethel School is a small public elementary and middle school in the Lehigh Avenue corridor of Philadelphia, serving pre-K through grade 8. The school has a student body that is almost entirely Black and overwhelmingly low-income; all enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is small, concentrated in the lower grades, with relatively fewer students in middle school grades.
The school's state testing results in math and English language arts are very low. In 2024-25, about one in twenty students in grades 3-8 were proficient in math, and about one in eight were proficient in English language arts. Science proficiency, measured most recently in 2022-23, was around one in six. These proficiency levels place the school well below grade-level expectations and are substantially lower than what the state considers meeting standards.
A parent may want to discuss these results directly with the school to understand the school's response and any focused interventions underway. The Philadelphia City School District recently adopted a new science-of-reading English language arts curriculum and a new mathematics curriculum districtwide; the ELA adoption is only in its second year. A parent should ask how these new materials are being implemented at Allen Dr Ethel specifically, what progress data the school is tracking, and what supports exist for students who are struggling.
The school is located in West Philadelphia in a residential neighborhood served by bus transit. The immediate area has a lower median home value compared to the state benchmark, and rent is modest. The city overall is a walkable, dense urban environment with strong neighborhood character and extensive public transit through SEPTA, though walkability and transit access vary by neighborhood. Philadelphia has seen moderate population growth centered in Center City in recent years, while many outer neighborhoods, including this part of West Philadelphia, have faced slower recovery.
The Philadelphia School District is currently undergoing a major facilities consolidation approved in April 2026 that will close schools, co-locate programs, and modernize buildings over the coming decade. Parents should check whether Allen Dr Ethel is affected by any of these planned changes, as the plan will reshape which school children attend across the city.
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