The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in Science. The lowest is 3% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on John B Stetson Ms
John B Stetson MS is a regular public school serving grades five through eight in Philadelphia's Port Richmond neighborhood. The school enrolls a modest-sized student body drawn almost entirely from the surrounding residential catchment area. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share who are Black, and smaller numbers of other groups. The school sits in an urban neighborhood setting characteristic of Northeast Philadelphia's rowhouse blocks and local commercial corridors.
State assessment results from the most recent years are very low. In math, the school's proficiency rate stands at roughly three percent; in English language arts, around twelve percent; and in science, measured most recently in an earlier year, near seventeen percent. These are far below the state standard. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what literacy and math supports are in place, how the school is addressing these gaps, and what the daily classroom instruction looks like. The school is teaching under the Philadelphia School District's new curriculum framework, which adopted Illustrative Mathematics K-12 in 2023-24 and a science-of-reading ELA curriculum (EL Education) starting in 2024-25; this is the first year of standardized instructional materials across all district schools, with mixed early results citywide.
The Port Richmond area where the school is located is a neighborhood of historic rowhomes, walkable shopping strips, and strong local identity, part of Philadelphia's broader fabric of residential communities. Housing in the school's ZIP code is quite modest in value, with monthly rent well below the city average. The neighborhood is dense and urban, with families typically using public transit (SEPTA) rather than private cars.
The school has not been flagged for closure under the district's April 2026 Accelerating Opportunity facilities plan, which reshapes many school catchments across the city starting in 2026-27. However, a parent should verify current boundary information directly, as the plan reconfigures which schools serve which neighborhoods.
No data on chronic absenteeism, special education enrollment, English learner status, discipline, or detailed staffing was available for this school. The school's parent community may want to request this information directly from the school or district.
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