Data dive: How do demographics affect performance at Philadelphia public high schools?
Last week I wrote a story about Chrislie Dor, a Philadelphia School District student who applied to two district-run magnet high schools.
If accepted, she said she’d attend one of those schools. If not, she said she’d enroll in a high school run by a charter organization.
Comprehensive neighborhood high schools did not seem like a good option to her and her family.
This week, Chrislie learned she was accepted to the Creative and Performing Arts High School (CAPA), the district-run magnet that she had dreamed of attending.
In researching the story, I compiled a table based on most-up-to-date state data to illustrate how student demographics differ at the city’s public high school offerings – both district and charter-run.
Here I wanted to explore that data in further detail, first by comparing the differences among the city’s highest and lowest achieving public high schools.
For the sake of this discussion, the terms “high” and “low” achieving here are based on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s School Performance Profile (SPP) score.
SPP is a metric that the state introduced at the beginning of this school year that aggregates verifiable data including, but not limited to, standardized test scores.
The data presented here represents the city’s high schools currently in operation for which data is available. Closed schools were not counted.
|
Economically disadvantaged |
English language learners |
Special education |
Boys |
Girls |
Average SPP Score |
|
|
Top 10 public high schools in Philly by SPP score* |
45.43% |
.91% |
7.51% |
47.24% |
52.82% |
87.69 |
|
Bottom 10 public high schools in Philly by SPP score** |
95.44% |
9.33% |
26.32% |
50.56% |
48.73% |
34.49 |
*6 district-run, 4 charter**8 district-run, 2 charter
As the graph shows, high-achieving schools share certain demographic traits in common: serving populations that are wealthier, more female and less encumbered with learning impediments.
The opposite is true of low-achieving schools.
There are, of course, schools that buck demographic trends and either outperform or underperform expectations. (Below, I’ve included a full list of Philadelphia public high schools to analyze and compare.)
Exact comparisons, though, are difficult to make – especially between district and charter-run schools.
Take the term “economically disadvantaged” as an example. The Philadelphia School District computes that metric by school using a theoretical formula that takes into account census data.
Charter schools, on the other hand, ask families to fill out and return a form that asks personal financial questions. Neither method is an exact science. Both could yield results that either inflate or deflate the accurate number.
Special-education statistics are equally messy. The term covers such a wide range of disabilities, with huge variations in impact on learning ability and cost to educate.
We are able, though, to glean some insights when comparing the special-ed stats of district and charter-run schools globally.
The state’s 2011-2012 special-education data show that, compared to the city’s charters, the Philadelphia School District serves a disproportionate amount of the special-education students thought most difficult and resource-draining to educate.
These are students who fall into special-education categories such as emotional disturbance, autism, intellectual disability, and visual and hearing impairments.
Comparing individual schools along these special-ed categories, though, is difficult. The data breakdown is publicly available for individual charters, but not for individual district-run schools.
Common threads
With all that in mind, here’s a further look at demographic data for the city’s public high schools:
Acting Education Secretary Carolyn Dumaresq defines an SPP score of 70 as the threshold that signals that a school is “moving toward success.”
Of the 21 public high schools in Philadelphia with SPP scores above 70:
• 20 of 21 serve populations have less than 3% English Language Learners. The only exception is the district-run Motivation High School.
• 16 of 21 serve populations that are below 70% economically disadvantaged. The exceptions are: Motivation HS, Parkway Center City, Mastery Pickett, Mastery Thomas, Maritime Academy Charter.
• 16 of 21 have more girls than boys. The exceptions are: Central HS, Carver HS, The Philadelphia Academy Charter School, Mastery Pickett, and Prep Charter.
• 13 of 21 have special education populations under 15%. The 8 schools above this threshold are all charter schools.
Of the 28 public high schools in Philadelphia with SPP scores below 50:
• 26 of 28 serve populations that are above 70% economically disadvantaged. The exceptions are: Abraham Lincoln HS, and Truebright Science Academy Charter School.
•25 of 28 serve populations that are above 15% special education. The exceptions are: Truebright Charter, Boys Latin Charter, and Walter D. Palmer Charter.
• 22 of 28 have more boys than girls. Exceptions are: Universal Audenried Renaissance Charter, Delaware Community Charter, Walter Palmer Leadership Charter, Kensington Urban, Kensington Health, and Arise Charter.
• Statistics on English Language Learners vary widely between low-performing schools.
Below I’ve reproduced the full graph of public high schools in Philadelphia, in order of highest to lowest SPP score. Charter schools appear in green. Renaissance charters are in blue.
|
School |
Enrollment |
SPP Score |
% economically disadvantaged* |
% English language learners |
% special education (non-gifted) |
% boys |
% girls |
|
Central |
2329 |
101.3 |
47.57% |
0.86% |
0.86% |
51.48% |
48.52% |
|
Julia R. Masterman (5-12) |
1174 |
95 |
30.58% |
0.17% |
1.7% |
45.66% |
54.34% |
|
Carver HS |
750 |
90.9 |
52.93% |
2.67% |
2.8% |
56.93% |
43.07% |
|
MaST (K-12) |
1306 |
90 |
37.06% |
1.76% |
12.71% |
49.92% |
50.08% |
|
Franklin Towne Charter High School |
1013 |
89.1 |
51.23% |
0 |
10.56% |
42.25% |
57.75% |
|
William Bodine |
514 |
83.5 |
67.51% |
1.56% |
3.31% |
40.8% |
59.92% |
|
New Foundations Charter School (K-12) |
1067 |
83.5 |
61.95% |
0.09% |
9.47% |
47.89% |
52.11% |
|
Science Leadership Academy |
488 |
81.8 |
37.3% |
1.84% |
8.61% |
43.65% |
56.35% |
|
GAMP (5-12) |
515 |
81.4 |
37.48% |
0.19% |
3.69% |
41.17% |
58.83% |
|
The Philadelphia Academy Charter School (K-12) |
1182 |
80.4 |
30.71% |
0% |
21.48% |
52.71% |
47.29% |
|
Mastery–Shoemaker (7-12) |
721 |
79.5 |
69.76% |
0.55% |
19.27% |
48.54% |
51.46% |
|
Mastery-Pickett (7-12) |
729 |
76.3 |
83.26% |
0.41% |
22.35% |
52.54% |
47.46% |
|
Girls High |
1170 |
75.8 |
69.06% |
1.2% |
2.82% |
0% |
100% |
|
Mastery–Hardy Williams (K-12) |
948 |
75.6 |
43.14% |
0.11% |
13.29% |
48.21% |
51.79% |
|
Mastery–Thomas (K-12) |
640 |
75.4 |
74.06% |
2.66% |
17.65% |
48.28% |
51.72% |
|
Motivation |
242 |
75.3 |
100% |
4.3% |
5.79% |
32.64% |
67.36% |
|
Mastery–Lenfest (6-12) |
541 |
74.7 |
62.29% |
1.29% |
16.82% |
45.84% |
54.16% |
|
Maritime Academy Charter School (5-12) |
773 |
72.5 |
83.96% |
0.91% |
8.93% |
46.44% |
53.56% |
|
Parkway Center City |
466 |
72.1 |
100% |
1.93% |
4.51% |
40.99% |
59.01% |
|
CAPA |
702 |
71.5 |
47.01% |
0.85% |
5.56% |
29.2% |
70.8% |
|
Prep Charter High School |
607 |
70.6 |
61.94% |
1.81% |
3.79% |
51.57% |
48.43% |
|
Academy at Palumbo |
716 |
67.8 |
57.54% |
2.09% |
4.05% |
41.62% |
58.38% |
|
Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School (5-12) |
480 |
67.8 |
86.04% |
0% |
8.54% |
50.83% |
49.17% |
|
Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush |
554 |
67.4 |
50.9% |
1.81% |
10.28% |
27.98% |
72.02% |
|
The Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School (1-12) |
930 |
66.9 |
82.15% |
0% |
3.12% |
44.41% |
55.59% |
|
Northeast HS |
2965 |
66.3 |
71.57% |
14.97% |
12.78% |
56.05% |
43.95% |
|
Parkway West |
257 |
66.1 |
57.98% |
0% |
8.95% |
37.74% |
62.26% |
|
Multi-Cultural Academy Charter |
247 |
64.9 |
73.28% |
0% |
9.72% |
36.84% |
63.16% |
|
Esperanza Academy Charter High School (6-12) |
798 |
63.8 |
91.35% |
15.41% |
14.28% |
48.12% |
51.88% |
|
Freire Charter School (5-12) |
948 |
63.3 |
88.08% |
0.84% |
12.23% |
41.03% |
58.97% |
|
Tacony Academy Charter School (K-12) |
873 |
61.8 |
54.87% |
0% |
14.66% |
50.4% |
49.6% |
|
Swenson Arts and Tech |
693 |
61.6 |
63.35% |
5.77% |
17.46% |
64.07% |
35.93% |
|
Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School (1-12) |
1266 |
61.4 |
74.72% |
6.08% |
15.56% |
46.52% |
53.48% |
|
Philadelphia Military Academy Elverson* |
206 |
61.1 |
100% |
3.88% |
7.28% |
61.65% |
38.35% |
|
Sankofa Freedom Academy (K-12) |
591 |
60.6 |
74.79% |
1.69% |
10.99% |
51.44% |
48.56% |
|
Philadelphia Military Academy Leeds* |
249 |
60.3 |
81.12% |
2.41% |
13.65% |
63.86% |
36.14 |
|
A. Philip Randolph |
539 |
59.4 |
100% |
1.67% |
14.28% |
62.89% |
37.11% |
|
KIPP DuBois Collegiate Academy (K-12) |
895 |
59.2 |
85.92% |
0.34% |
21.56% |
48.49% |
51.51% |
|
Constitution |
380 |
58.6 |
50.53% |
3.95% |
10.52% |
45% |
55% |
|
Mariana Bracetti Academy (6-12) |
1241 |
58.6 |
91.78% |
12.89% |
15.79% |
46.09% |
53.91% |
|
Philadelphia Electrical and Technology Charter High School |
642 |
57.4 |
73.99% |
1.25% |
15.57% |
56.54% |
43.46% |
|
Murrell Dobbins |
719 |
57.2 |
100% |
2.64% |
17.24% |
58.55% |
41.45% |
|
Jules Mastbaum |
680 |
56.7 |
100% |
9.12% |
15.58% |
52.5% |
47.5% |
|
George Washington |
1866 |
54.9 |
57.77% |
10.93% |
18.43% |
55.36% |
44.64% |
|
W.B. Saul |
524 |
54.2 |
65.84% |
0.76% |
10.68% |
35.11% |
64.89% |
|
ASPIRA Olney HS |
1728 |
53.5 |
50.87% |
16.9% |
23.55% |
56.02% |
43.98% |
|
Eastern University Academy Charter School (7-12) |
353 |
53 |
64.31% |
0.28% |
11.89% |
43.06% |
56.94% |
|
Parkway Northwest |
258 |
52.8 |
100% |
0.93% |
9.69% |
37.6% |
62.4% |
|
Edison |
1274 |
51.7 |
98.43% |
25.2% |
21.42% |
54.08% |
45.92% |
|
Lankenau |
320 |
51.6 |
64.69% |
0.63% |
9.06% |
45.63% |
54.37% |
|
World Communications Charter School (6-12) |
561 |
51.5 |
59.54% |
2.85% |
8.2% |
43.67% |
56.43% |
|
Paul Robeson |
265 |
51.2 |
100% |
1.89% |
15.09% |
38.11% |
61.89% |
|
School of the Future |
399 |
48.7 |
100% |
1.75% |
17.04% |
51.38% |
49.62% |
|
New Media Technology Charter School |
405 |
48.3 |
81.23% |
0.49% |
16.04% |
50.62% |
49.38% |
|
Horace Furness |
550 |
47.1 |
100% |
38.73% |
16.9% |
58.36% |
41.64% |
|
Truebright Science Academy Charter School (7-12) |
307 |
46.9 |
55.37% |
0% |
11.7% |
50.81% |
49.19% |
|
Charter High School for Architecture and Design |
612 |
46.2 |
70.75% |
0% |
15.68% |
50.82% |
49.18% |
|
Roxborough |
476 |
45.1 |
100% |
1.26% |
23.94% |
53.36% |
46.64% |
|
Universal Audenried |
611 |
45.1 |
100% |
2.29% |
23.24% |
49.75% |
50.25% |
|
Mastery Simon Gratz |
1120 |
45 |
81.7% |
0.09% |
24.82% |
53.04% |
46.96% |
|
Abraham Lincoln |
1817 |
44.4 |
69.73% |
5.23% |
21.35% |
54.87% |
45.13% |
|
Delaware Valley Community Charter |
666 |
42.6 |
72.07% |
0% |
17.71% |
48.5% |
51.5% |
|
Fels |
1362 |
42.2 |
74.67% |
15.05% |
18.2% |
54.33% |
45.67% |
|
Boys Latin |
482 |
40.9 |
76.14% |
0% |
10.78% |
100% |
0% |
|
Walter D. Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School (K-12) |
1024 |
39.7 |
99.02% |
4.79% |
12.01% |
44.73% |
55.27% |
|
Kensington Business |
370 |
39.3 |
74.32% |
15.95% |
28.91% |
61.89% |
38.11% |
|
Overbrook |
996 |
38.9 |
100% |
0.7% |
22.79% |
56.12% |
43.88% |
|
Frankford |
1387 |
38.4 |
100% |
10.89% |
26.38% |
58.18% |
41.82% |
|
MLK |
760 |
38 |
100% |
3.6% |
32.36% |
57.37% |
42.63% |
|
West Philadelphia |
815 |
37.9 |
100% |
2.33% |
23.42% |
56.69% |
43.31% |
|
Kensington CAPA |
424 |
37.5 |
100% |
14.39% |
22.4% |
51.89% |
48.11% |
|
Benjamin Franklin |
546 |
36.8 |
100% |
16.12% |
26.73% |
55.13% |
47.87% |
|
Kensington Urban |
222 |
36.7 |
70.72% |
11.71% |
17.56% |
48.65% |
51.35% |
|
South Philadelphia |
658 |
36.5 |
95.14% |
26.9% |
25.98% |
58.21% |
41.79% |
|
John Bartram |
954 |
36.4 |
100% |
8.49% |
23.79% |
56.81% |
43.19% |
|
Kensington Health Sciences |
363 |
35.5 |
100% |
15.15% |
30.02% |
49.04% |
50.96% |
|
Strawberry Mansion |
431 |
34.1 |
100% |
0.23% |
31.32% |
51.04% |
48.96% |
|
Arise Academy |
158 |
31.8 |
100% |
0% |
44.93% |
36.71% |
63.29% |
|
Sayre |
505 |
29.9 |
100% |
0.2% |
23.16% |
53.07% |
46.93% |
|
Imhotep Institute Charter High School |
668 |
29.7 |
88.62% |
0.15% |
17.36% |
55.09% |
44.91% |
*The Military Academies of Elverson and Leeds combined before the 2013-14 school year.
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