The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in Science. The lowest is 9% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Franklin Benjamin Sch
Franklin Benjamin School serves kindergarten through eighth grade in the Bridesburg area of North Philadelphia, on Rising Sun Avenue. It is a public school operated by the Philadelphia City School District, serving about 588 students distributed fairly evenly across its grade span.
The school's student body is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with smaller populations of Asian, multiracial, and white students. Essentially all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the neighborhood. Data on students with IEPs or English learners was not available.
On state assessments, Franklin Benjamin's results are below what families typically seek. In mathematics for grades 3 through 8, fewer than one in ten students reached proficiency in the most recent test. In English language arts, about one in five students met the standard. Science data from an earlier year showed a slightly higher proficiency rate of roughly one in four. These numbers place academic support and instruction as a central question for any family considering the school. A parent may want to look into what targeted reading and math support is available, particularly given the district's recent curriculum shift to a science-of-reading approach for ELA across all schools, which is now in its first year.
The Philadelphia City School District has undergone substantial change. Starting in the 2024-25 school year, the district moved to a new ELA curriculum (EL Education for K-8) built on the science of reading, paired with Illustrative Mathematics K-12, which rolled out the prior year. This standardizes classroom instruction across all schools for the first time in several years. Early results show reading proficiency did not rise in year one; one-third of students achieved proficiency, essentially flat or slightly lower than before. How well this curriculum takes hold at individual schools, and the degree of professional support available to teachers, will shape the reading experience over the next few years.
The district is also implementing a sweeping facilities modernization plan approved in 2026. While Franklin Benjamin itself is not among the 17 schools slated for closure, the plan will reshape school catchments and merge programs at nearby schools, so families' assigned schools and commutes may shift. This plan is unfolding over several years.
The neighborhood around the school is part of North Philadelphia, a historically dense rowhouse area with strong commercial corridors on parallel streets. Housing costs are well below the Philadelphia average and significantly below state and national benchmarks, making homeownership relatively affordable in this part of the city, though economic challenges and disinvestment have shaped the area's trajectory. The school sits within walking distance of neighborhood retail and services but not in one of the city's highest-growth or most-development-active zones.
For families prioritizing test performance and academic rigor, Franklin Benjamin's current proficiency levels warrant careful consideration and direct conversation with school leadership about reading intervention, math support, and classroom instruction. For families seeking an accessible, neighborhood-rooted K-8 school in an affordable part of the city, the school offers a local alternative to longer commutes and may align with their priorities if they can address academic support directly with the school.
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