The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Science. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Vare-washington El Sch
Vare-Washington Elementary School is a small public school serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in the Queen Village neighborhood of South Philadelphia, near the Delaware River waterfront. The school has enrollment spread relatively evenly across its grade bands, with a significant concentration of elementary grades (K-2) and also substantial numbers in middle school (grades 6-8).
The student population is economically disadvantaged; the entire enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. Racially and ethnically, the school is diverse, with roughly two-fifths of students identifying as Hispanic, roughly one-fifth as Black, roughly one-fifth as white, and the remainder distributed among Asian, multiracial, and other backgrounds. The school's demographic composition reflects the neighborhood it serves.
On state assessments for grades 3-8, the school shows mixed results. In English language arts, about half of tested students scored at proficiency or above on the 2024-25 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment. In mathematics, roughly one-third of students met proficiency. Science proficiency was notably stronger; data from 2022-23 showed roughly three-quarters of tested students scored at proficiency or above, though more recent science results were not available in the data. A parent may want to look into the school's current science offerings and approach with the school directly. The ELA and math scores are below what many families would hope for, and a parent considering Vare-Washington should understand that the school serves a population facing significant educational challenges districtwide. The district-wide shift to new ELA and math curricula (Illustrative Mathematics and EL Education) began in 2023-24 and 2024-25 respectively, which means instruction is still in early implementation stages at this school as everywhere else in Philadelphia.
The school sits in a dense, historically rowhouse neighborhood typical of South Philadelphia. The area is walkable, with local commercial corridors, and is served by SEPTA bus and Regional Rail. Housing in the zip code is more affordable than the Philadelphia median and well below state and national benchmarks. The neighborhood itself has strong historic character and is part of Philadelphia's distinctive neighborhood identity, though it is not among the city's fastest-growing areas. The broader city is experiencing moderate growth concentrated in Center City, with significant property tax revenue increases directed to schools starting in 2024-25.
Philadelphia City School District is undergoing substantial structural change. A major facilities master plan approved in April 2026 will close schools and modernize buildings over the next decade, which could affect school boundaries and commute patterns. The district's adoption of standardized curricula citywide represents the most direct change to daily instruction in years, though early reading-score results suggest the transition may take time to show gains. For a family considering Vare-Washington, the combination of low proficiency rates, full economic disadvantage of the enrollment, and district-level transition all suggest this is a school serving students with significant needs and still navigating substantial instructional and structural changes.
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