The top reported proficiency rate is 9% in Science. The lowest is 1% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Clemente Roberto Ms
Clemente Roberto Middle School serves sixth through eighth graders in the Kensington neighborhood of North Philadelphia, near Erie Avenue. The school is small, with enrollment distributed across its three grade levels. Every student in the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the neighborhood. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a smaller Black student population and very few students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds.
State assessment results from 2024-25 show proficiency rates that are deeply concerning. In mathematics, fewer than one percent of tested students met proficiency. In English language arts, around seven percent of students achieved proficiency. Science proficiency data is from an earlier year (2022-23) and reflects similar low performance. These figures place the school far below where parents would want their middle schoolers to be in core academic skills, particularly in reading and math, which form the foundation for secondary education.
The school is part of the Philadelphia City School District, which in the past two years has undertaken major curriculum changes intended to improve instruction. Starting in 2024-25, the district adopted a science-of-reading approach to English language arts instruction across grades K-8, using EL Education materials. At the same time, the district rolled out Illustrative Mathematics for all grades beginning in 2023-24. These are district-wide initiatives meant to standardize and strengthen how reading and math are taught. However, first-year results from the ELA curriculum rollout showed a small dip in reading scores, and the vast majority of Philadelphia students remain below grade level in reading. It is worth asking the school directly how these new curricula are being implemented at Clemente Roberto and what supports exist for students who enter the school significantly behind grade level.
The school sits in the Kensington neighborhood, which like much of North Philadelphia is economically challenged. Housing in the school's zip code is affordable relative to the broader city and region, with home values and rents considerably below citywide medians. This reflects the neighborhood's character as a working-class and lower-income residential area. The broader city of Philadelphia is experiencing selective growth concentrated in Center City and University City, while many neighborhood schools like this one operate in areas facing disinvestment.
A parent considering this school should look carefully at whether the academic support systems in place can meet the profound learning gaps evident in the state assessment data. With essentially nine in ten middle schoolers not proficient in math and reading, the typical curriculum alone is unlikely to close those gaps. The new district curricula may help over time, but individual school implementation, supplemental support, tutoring, and intervention services become critical. A parent may want to ask the school about reading intervention programs, math support structures, class sizes, and how students who enter sixth grade reading or calculating significantly below grade level are being caught up. The school's small size could be an asset if it allows for personalized attention, but proficiency numbers this low suggest that dynamic is not yet translating to measurable academic gain.
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