The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in Science. The lowest is 4% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Rhodes E Washington Sch
Rhodes E Washington School is a small public elementary and middle school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in North Philadelphia. The school enrolls a small but concentrated population of students, almost all of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Black, with smaller Hispanic and multiracial populations and very few white or Asian students.
The school's state assessment results are markedly low across tested subjects. In the most recent math assessment, about one in every twenty-five students tested reached proficiency. English language arts performance was slightly better but still very limited, with roughly one in thirteen students proficient. Science data from an earlier year showed proficiency at a slightly higher rate, though still well below typical district and state benchmarks. These results reflect a school where the majority of students are working significantly below grade-level standards in foundational subjects.
The school sits in a neighborhood of moderate economic strain. Housing values in the surrounding area are substantially below Philadelphia and state averages, and rental costs have risen slightly in recent months. The median household income for the region is close to the national average, but the concentration of students from families qualifying for lunch support suggests the immediate school community faces material economic pressure.
The broader Philadelphia School District is navigating significant structural change. Beginning in 2026-27, the district will close a substantial number of schools and reshape catchment boundaries. Parents with students at Rhodes E Washington should verify directly with the school whether it is among those affected, as the closure list has been publicly released but enrollment and assignment decisions hinge on specific school status. At the same time, the district has rolled out new standardized mathematics and reading curricula districtwide over the past two years, including a science-of-reading approach for English language arts. These changes are designed to raise proficiency uniformly across all schools, and early data show uneven results; reading scores dipped in the first implementation year despite the new materials.
Philadelphia itself is a dense, walkable city with strong neighborhood identity, extensive public transit, and a robust park and library system. Schools are embedded in residential neighborhoods rather than on separate campuses, and civic life concentrates downtown in Center City. Housing values and rents vary widely by neighborhood, and the city has seen modest population growth over the past two years after earlier pandemic-related losses.
A parent evaluating Rhodes E Washington should look directly into the school's specific status under the district's facilities plan, the qualifications and stability of its teaching staff, and what support or intervention structures the school has in place to address the very low baseline proficiency levels. The school's reading and math results warrant direct conversation with school leadership about instruction quality, curriculum pacing, and whether additional tutoring or intensive small-group work is available. Special education and English learner enrollment counts were not available in the data provided, so a parent may want to inquire about those populations and the school's approach to serving them.
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