Independence Charter School

Summary:

Independence Charter School is a public charter elementary school serving grades K-8 in Philadelphia, PA, with a diverse student population of 27.27% White, 43.15% African American, 21.9% Hispanic, and 4.1% Asian students.

While the school's overall test scores are generally on par with or slightly above the state average, it has consistently been rated 2 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger, ranking in the middle of Philadelphia City School District elementary schools. This is likely due to significant achievement gaps between racial/ethnic groups, with White students performing in the top 5% of Pennsylvania elementary schools in math, while African American and Hispanic students rank in the middle and lower third, respectively. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage (99.87%) of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Interestingly, nearby schools like Greenfield Albert Middle School and Meredith William Middle School significantly outperform Independence Charter School in both test scores and overall school rankings, potentially due to serving student populations with lower percentages of economically disadvantaged students. Addressing the achievement gaps and consistently low performance at Independence Charter School will likely require a multi-faceted approach that addresses the unique needs of its diverse and economically disadvantaged student population.


Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

 1600 Lombard Street
       Philadelphia, PA  19146


(215) 238-8000

District: Independence Charter School

SchoolDigger Rank:
1011th of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,814 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  13.2 Help
Number of students:  781

Racial breakdown:

African American:
43.1%
White:
27.3%
Hispanic:
21.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.9% Help


 See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

 Compare Independence Charter School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Independence Charter School ranks worse than 65.9% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.53. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details Independence Charter School ranks better than 71.3% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.25. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Independence Charter School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (43.1%), White (27.3%), Hispanic (21.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 99.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Independence Charter School is 13.2. (See more...)
Help
Compare Independence Charter School employs 59 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Independence Charter School is $18,814.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Independence Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Charter School 1011th of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Independence Charter School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Disabled students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Charter School 256th of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Independence Charter School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Disabled students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Independence Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Charter School 307th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Independence Charter School?

Rank History for Independence Charter School

Help
Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 13.57 1141st 1308 12.8%
2005 28.08 1043rd 1299 19.7%
2006 41.11 1121st 1545 27.4%
2007 34.41 1210th 1555 22.2%
2008 45.56 1061st 1551 31.6%
2009 44.62 1081st 1549 30.2%
2010 54.05 932nd 1579 41.0%
2011 45.78 1107th 1597 30.7%
2012 49.04 1062nd 1599 33.6%
2015 51.15 862nd 1474 41.5%
2016 52.72 885th 1554 43.1%
2017 47.19 965th 1547 37.6%
2018 57.53 776th 1530 49.3%
2019 52.09 882nd 1544 42.9%
2021 37.04 999th 1433 30.3%
2022 37.36 1057th 1534 31.1%
2023 40.53 1011th 1534 34.1%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 36.02 987th 1414 30.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 50.19 458th 1043 56.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 53.05 168th 437 61.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 61.94 143rd 432 66.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 89.39 65th 1236 94.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Independence Charter School

Help
Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 57.52 380th 736 48.4%
2007 54.88 420th 749 43.9%
2008 64.52 296th 753 60.7%
2009 58.95 372nd 770 51.7%
2010 62.63 352nd 805 56.3%
2011 58.86 410th 825 50.3%
2012 62.15 384th 834 54.0%
2015 62.71 311th 835 62.8%
2016 61.84 349th 870 59.9%
2017 65.24 301st 877 65.7%
2018 65.45 310th 861 64.0%
2019 71.77 238th 891 73.3%
2021 62.28 288th 797 63.9%
2022 67.56 262nd 883 70.3%
2023 69.25 256th 893 71.3%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 61.10 307th 874 64.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Disabled students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 50.13 266th 660 59.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 56.10 144th 421 65.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 80.95 47th 362 87.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Independence Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 94.44 24th 681 96.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Independence Charter School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Open Quote No discrimination, Good community. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Independence Charter School

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 64 263 2 26 4 n/a n/a 0 359
2003 64 263 2 26 4 n/a n/a 0 359
2004 70 316 5 41 0 n/a n/a 0 432
2005 99 351 10 49 0 n/a n/a 0 509
2006 118 384 13 73 0 n/a n/a 0 588
2007 139 439 19 72 0 n/a n/a 0 669
2008 149 406 18 80 0 n/a n/a 35 688
2009 164 409 22 87 0 n/a n/a 40 722
2010 184 409 24 81 0 n/a n/a 50 748
2011 187 433 31 97 0 0 27 0 775
2012 191 426 37 105 0 0 29 0 788
2013 192 417 39 127 0 0 39 0 814
2014 188 395 38 134 0 1 60 0 816
2015 208 355 41 144 0 1 65 0 814
2016 209 335 40 150 0 0 78 0 812
2017 201 320 37 163 0 1 80 0 802
2018 218 314 37 200 0 0 45 0 814
2019 214 331 37 193 0 0 43 0 818
2020 203 345 41 189 0 0 40 0 818
2021 203 341 40 189 0 0 36 0 809
2022 202 330 33 181 0 0 34 0 780
2023 213 337 32 171 0 0 28 0 781

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Independence Charter School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 359 19.1 18.8 46.2
2003 359 19.1 18.8 46.2
2004 432 27.5 15.7 0
2005 509 30.0 17.0 32.6
2006 588 39.5 14.9 48.3
2007 669 41.8 16.0 n/a
2008 688 58.0 11.9 n/a
2009 722 57.0 12.7 56
2010 748 60.3 12.4 49.7
2011 775 53.0 14.6 46.6
2012 788 56.0 14.0 53.4
2013 814 54.0 15.0 52.9
2014 816 58.5 13.9 53.6
2015 814 54.0 15.0 51
2016 812 52.0 15.6 50.5
2017 802 57.6 13.9 51.4
2018 814 53.0 15.3 52.1
2019 818 53.8 15.2 51.8
2020 818 54.5 15.0 54.4
2021 809 56.6 14.2 50.8
2022 780 57.0 13.6 n/a
2023 781 59.0 13.2 99.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Independence Charter School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 359 19.1 18.8 46.2
2003 359 19.1 18.8 46.2
2004 432 27.5 15.7 0
2005 509 30.0 17.0 32.6
2006 588 39.5 14.9 48.3
2007 669 41.8 16.0 n/a
2008 688 58.0 11.9 n/a
2009 722 57.0 12.7 56
2010 748 60.3 12.4 49.7
2011 775 53.0 14.6 46.6
2012 788 56.0 14.0 53.4
2013 814 54.0 15.0 52.9
2014 816 58.5 13.9 53.6
2015 814 54.0 15.0 51
2016 812 52.0 15.6 50.5
2017 802 57.6 13.9 51.4
2018 814 53.0 15.3 52.1
2019 818 53.8 15.2 51.8
2020 818 54.5 15.0 54.4
2021 809 56.6 14.2 50.8
2022 780 57.0 13.6 n/a
2023 781 59.0 13.2 99.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Independence Charter School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,456 (10.6%) $12,336 (89.4%) $13,792
2020 $1,600 (10.7%) $13,342 (89.3%) $14,942
2021 $2,637 (15.7%) $14,136 (84.3%) $16,774
2022 $3,535 (18.8%) $15,279 (81.2%) $18,814

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence Charter School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 882nd of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 1011th of 1534 Elementary schools
 8.8%
Ranks 238th of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 256th of 893 Middle schools
 2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Independence Charter School)52.136.7
 15.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Independence Charter School)59.851.7
 8.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Independence Charter School)48.556.9
 8.4%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Independence Charter School)70.567.1
 3.4%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Charter School)68.439.2
 29.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (Independence Charter School)26.132.1
 6%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Charter School)62.542.4
 20.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
6th Grade Math (Independence Charter School)49.430.1
 19.3%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Charter School)71.244.6
 26.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Independence Charter School)54.143.1
 11%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Charter School)68.257.7
 10.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Independence Charter School)41.659.4
 17.8%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Independence Charter School)60.671
 10.4%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Charter School)54.267.2
 13%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Independence Charter School)45.542.7
 2.8%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Independence Charter School)66.368.9
 2.6%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Independence Charter School)64.450.2
 14.2%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students818781
 4.5%
African American331337
 1.8%
American Indian00
Asian3732
 13.5%
Hispanic193171
 11.4%
Pacific Islander00
White214213
 0.5%
Two or More Races4328
 34.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients51.8%99.9%
 48%


Schools Near Independence Charter School









Frequently Asked Questions about Independence Charter School

In the 2022-23 school year, 781 students attended Independence Charter School.

Independence Charter School ranks 1011th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Independence Charter School are 43% African American, 27% White, 22% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 4% Two or more races.


Rate Independence Charter School!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Independence Charter School!




SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 54 milliseconds.