Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Summary:

Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School is an alternative public charter school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, serving 663 students in grades K-12. The school has a strong focus on providing a high-quality education to its students, as evidenced by its consistently high graduation rates and low dropout rates.

Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School stands out from nearby schools in several key areas. The school has maintained a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 87.0% to 100.0% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state average and the graduation rates of nearby schools like Widener Memorial School (87.5%) and Maritime Academy Charter School (87.5%). Additionally, the school has managed to keep its dropout rates low, ranging from 0.0% to 1.6% over the past few years, lower than the dropout rates of nearby schools.

While Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School's test scores are still below the state averages, the school has shown steady improvements in recent years, particularly in PSSA Math and PSSA English Language Arts, outperforming nearby schools like First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School and Esperanza Cyber Charter School. The school's exceptionally high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 99.53% to 99.85%, suggests a strong commitment to serving disadvantaged students, and the steady increase in per-student spending, from $13,982 in 2018-2019 to $21,312 in 2021-2022, indicates that the school is investing more resources into its educational programs and support services.


Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

 2501 Kensington Avenue
       Philadelphia, PA  19124-1321


(215) 288-2001

District: Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

SchoolDigger Rank:
1224th of 1,526 Pennsylvania Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $21,312 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  20.9 Help
Number of students:  663

Racial breakdown:

African American:
94.1%
Hispanic:
3.5%
Two or more races:
1.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School ranks worse than 80.2% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.79. (See more...)
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Compare Details Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School ranks worse than 77.7% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.6. (See more...)
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Compare Details Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School ranks worse than 81.8% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.44. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (94.1%), Hispanic (3.5%), two or more races (1.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 99.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School is 20.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School employs 31.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School is $21,312.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School 1224th of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School 692nd of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School 561st of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:




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Your rating for Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School?

Rank History for Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 12.27 1466th 1597 8.2%
2012 13.38 1422nd 1599 11.1%
2015 12.30 1277th 1474 13.4%
2016 9.02 1384th 1554 10.9%
2017 9.55 1369th 1547 11.5%
2018 11.39 1337th 1530 12.6%
2019 12.36 1334th 1544 13.6%
2022 18.16 1239th 1534 19.2%
2023 23.56 1183rd 1534 22.9%
2024 19.79 1224th 1526 19.8%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 34.35 1019th 1414 27.9%
2024 26.24 1110th 1432 22.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 20.02 1192nd 1488 19.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 23.98 830th 1043 20.4%
2024 24.86 841st 1084 22.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 20.53 1193rd 1495 20.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 61.54 134th 437 69.3%
2024 62.49 118th 437 73.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for African American Students!

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

Rank History for Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 12.82 702nd 835 15.9%
2016 13.25 728th 870 16.3%
2017 12.07 739th 877 15.7%
2018 14.38 718th 861 16.6%
2019 14.11 732nd 891 17.8%
2022 20.73 669th 883 24.2%
2023 24.47 653rd 893 26.9%
2024 19.60 692nd 891 22.3%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 31.74 608th 874 30.4%
2024 24.97 675th 877 23.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 13.50 741st 860 13.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Disabled students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 24.92 534th 672 20.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 25.79 639th 870 26.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 51.04 165th 421 60.8%
2024 48.97 175th 408 57.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for African American Students!

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

Rank History for Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

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Rank History for all high school students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2012 29.58 532nd 664 19.9%
2015 19.93 557th 680 18.1%
2016 6.92 603rd 677 10.9%
2017 14.43 563rd 663 15.1%
2018 11.16 585th 673 13.1%
2019 23.18 559th 693 19.3%
2021 15.66 482nd 537 10.2%
2023 19.12 558th 674 17.2%
2024 19.44 561st 686 18.2%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 29.18 487th 652 25.3%
2024 25.62 526th 664 20.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 12.73 569th 665 14.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 25.46 514th 662 22.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 51.93 114th 260 56.2%
2024 47.74 136th 284 52.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Alternative Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Department 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.

Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 










Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
33%

0%

33%

0%

33%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Sunday, June 3, 2012

Open Quote My children have been accepted to sankofa this upcoming school year, and we will appreciate if we can get parents reviews on the school before we allow them to attend. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Open Quote Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter is an extremely unprofessional, unorganized school. Staff members are extremely rude to parents and students. Sankofa does NOT enforce it's own policies. This school shows favoritism to students who are related to staff members. The principle, Ayesha Imani, is an unprofessional, egotistical individual who does have the students best interest in mind. Ayesha Imani's only interest is to fill the seats of Sankofa with students for the sole purpose of receiving funding from the city and state. I regret sending my child to this school and I would NOT recommend another parent to send their child to this awful so called learning institution. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2010 0 266 0 27 0 n/a n/a 0 293
2011 1 369 0 30 0 0 0 0 400
2012 1 445 0 34 1 0 0 0 481
2013 1 557 0 31 2 0 0 0 591
2014 1 619 0 24 1 0 0 0 645
2015 2 609 1 32 1 0 0 0 645
2016 2 612 1 35 1 0 0 0 651
2017 1 592 1 31 0 0 0 0 625
2018 2 593 3 31 5 0 22 0 656
2019 2 605 2 21 8 0 19 0 657
2020 0 613 1 18 7 0 17 0 656
2021 0 609 1 16 5 0 13 0 644
2022 0 605 0 19 5 0 11 0 640
2023 1 624 0 23 4 0 11 0 663

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 Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 293 15.0 19.5 76.5
2011 400 28.0 14.2 79
2012 481 25.0 19.2 74.6
2013 591 31.0 19.0 74.6
2014 645 35.0 18.4 75.2
2015 645 33.0 19.5 81.7
2016 651 34.0 19.1 n/a
2017 625 32.0 19.5 n/a
2018 656 31.0 21.1 n/a
2019 657 27.1 24.2 97.3
2020 656 32.1 20.4 n/a
2021 644 33.1 19.4 99.5
2022 640 34.1 18.7 99.5
2023 663 31.6 20.9 99.8

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 Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 293 15.0 19.5 76.5
2011 400 28.0 14.2 79
2012 481 25.0 19.2 74.6
2013 591 31.0 19.0 74.6
2014 645 35.0 18.4 75.2
2015 645 33.0 19.5 81.7
2016 651 34.0 19.1 n/a
2017 625 32.0 19.5 n/a
2018 656 31.0 21.1 n/a
2019 657 27.1 24.2 97.3
2020 656 32.1 20.4 n/a
2021 644 33.1 19.4 99.5
2022 640 34.1 18.7 99.5
2023 663 31.6 20.9 99.8

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 Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,137 (8.1%) $12,845 (91.9%) $13,982
2020 $1,145 (7.7%) $13,814 (92.3%) $14,959
2021 $2,167 (14.5%) $12,803 (85.5%) $14,970
2022 $5,946 (27.9%) $15,366 (72.1%) $21,312

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sankofa Freedom Academy 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 1334th of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 1183rd of 1534 Elementary schools
 9.3%
Ranks 732nd of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 653rd of 893 Middle schools
 9%
Ranks 559th of 693 High schoolsRanks 558th of 674 High schools
 2.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)37.520.9
 16.6%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)48.943.5
 5.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)11.730.2
 18.5%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)40.562.2
 21.7%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)34.949
 14.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)12.211.3
 0.9%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)32.718.9
 13.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
6th Grade Math (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)9.18.1
 1%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)33.444.9
 11.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)146.3
 7.7%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)4045.6
 5.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)6.98.5
 1.6%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)22.429.8
 7.4%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)34.540.4
 5.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
11th Grade Algebra I (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)29.220
 9.2%
   11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)63.334.1
 29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)24.416.2
 8.2%
   11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)63.250.7
 12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)68.345.9
 22.4%
   11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)71.565.3
 6.2%
All Grades Math (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)14.814.4
 0.4%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)3047
 17%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School)37.240.1
 2.9%
   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 Students657663
 0.9%
African American605624
 3.1%
American Indian84
 50%
Asian20
 100%
Hispanic2123
 9.5%
Pacific Islander00
White21
 50%
Two or More Races1911
 42.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients97.3%99.8%
 2.6%


Schools Near Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School









Frequently Asked Questions about Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School

In the 2022-23 school year, 663 students attended Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School.

Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School ranks in the bottom 19.8% of Pennsylvania alternative schools.

Students at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School are 94% African American, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.


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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.





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