The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in Science. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Willard Frances E Sch
Willard Frances E School serves kindergarten through fourth grade in Philadelphia's Port Richmond neighborhood, near the intersection of Emerald Street and Frankford Avenue in the city's northeast section. The school is a regular public school, not a charter, and is part of the Philadelphia City School District.
The student body is small, around four hundred students, with nearly equal representation across the five grades served. The school is entirely Title I eligible; every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is predominantly Hispanic, with Black students forming the second-largest group, and very small numbers of white, Asian, and multiracial students.
State assessment data in mathematics and English language arts from 2024-25 shows proficiency rates well below the district norm. In math, around one in ten students tested at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, the rate was slightly higher, at roughly one in six. Science data from 2022-23, the most recent available, showed a marked difference: nearly four in ten students demonstrated proficiency in science. Parents may want to look into the school further with staff about why the science performance diverges so sharply from reading and math, and what instructional changes or supports in those latter two subjects might be in the offing. The school's recent adoption of the district's new Illustrative Mathematics curriculum (rolled out citywide starting in 2023-24) and the new science-of-reading English language arts materials (EL Education for K-8, starting 2024-25) means teaching approaches in both subjects are still relatively new.
Philadelphia's neighborhoods vary widely in character and resources. The Port Richmond area where this school sits is a traditionally working-class, densely settled neighborhood of rowhouses and corner businesses. The neighborhood has a strong Latino cultural presence and is known for its tight-knit community. Housing values in the zip code are modest compared to Center City and University City neighborhoods, and rents are correspondingly lower. The neighborhood remains somewhat removed from the downtown core and from the major employment and cultural anchors in Center City and University City, though SEPTA bus service connects it to those areas.
The Philadelphia School District is in the midst of significant change. The district has invested heavily in new standardized curricula, and the Board of Education recently approved a major facilities consolidation plan that will close schools and reshape school catchments beginning in the 2026-27 school year. Families at Willard should confirm with the school or district whether any closures or mergers affect this building or its boundaries. The district also received a substantial boost in funding through a rise in the property tax allocation to schools and through new property tax revenue following the 2024 reassessment, which will shape school resources over the coming years.
For a family considering this school, the chief question is academic support. The recent proficiency data in reading and math, while sobering, reflects a school that is implementing new curriculum materials district-wide and serves a student population with significant economic challenges. Whether the school is investing in reading intervention, small-group instruction, or other targeted academic support would be worth asking directly, as would the school's approach to student engagement and family involvement.
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