The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in Science. The lowest is 14% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Morton Thomas G Sch
Morton Thomas G School is a small elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in the Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood. Its enrollment is fully eligible for free or reduced-price meals, and the student body is predominantly African American, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Asian, and white students.
The school's academic performance on state testing presents a mixed picture. In science, assessed most recently in 2022-23, students showed a moderate proficiency rate. In mathematics and English language arts, tested in the most recent school year, proficiency rates were notably low. These results reflect challenges in early literacy and numeracy that are common across schools serving populations with high economic need, and they sit well below what the school aims for. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, including what interventions are in place to support students who are below grade level in reading and math, and what the school's own improvement targets are.
Morton Thomas is part of the Philadelphia City School District, which has undergone significant instructional changes in recent years. The district adopted new curricula districtwide starting in 2023-24: Illustrative Mathematics for grades K-12 and a science-of-reading approach for English language arts the following year. These changes determine how students are taught to read and do math every day. The district also received substantial new funding through increased property tax allocation and school-directed revenue from a 2024 property reassessment, widening the revenue base for schools across Philadelphia.
At the district level, the Board of Education approved a facilities master plan in 2026 that will reshape school catchments and modernize numerous campuses over the coming decade. Families should stay informed about how this plan may affect their school assignments and commutes, as the closures and co-locations take effect beginning in 2026-27.
Housing in the school's area is relatively affordable compared to Center City Philadelphia and the state benchmark. Monthly rent is modest and home values are below both the state median and national average, though prices have risen modestly year-over-year. The neighborhood remains a primarily residential rowhouse area with neighborhood-based character rather than a major commercial or downtown district.
The school's size and grade configuration make it a foundational K-5 school rather than a middle or high school, so families here are responsible for planning secondary transitions. For families in the neighborhood seeking an elementary school with stable, long-standing operations, Morton Thomas offers that footprint, but the combination of low proficiency rates and the broader district curricular transition underway means families should engage directly with school leadership to understand current reading and math support and how the new instructional materials are being implemented in classrooms.
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