Is Independence Charter School West a good school?

Independence Charter School West ranks in the bottom 11.2% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

How many students attend Independence Charter School West?

In the 2022-23 school year, 833 students attended Independence Charter School West.

What is the racial makeup of Independence Charter School West?

Students at Independence Charter School West are 90% African American, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 3% White.

Independence Charter School West

Summary:

Independence Charter School West is a public charter elementary school serving 833 students in grades K-8 in Philadelphia, PA, a district ranked 553 out of 606 in Pennsylvania and with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's student population is predominantly African American (90.28%), with small percentages of Hispanic (3.6%), two or more races (3%), and very low representation of other racial groups.

Despite the school's high spending per student, which has increased from $13,836 in 2018-2019 to $17,132 in 2021-2022, Independence Charter School West consistently ranks in the bottom 10-15% of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with proficiency rates of just 12.2% in Math and 22.5% in English Language Arts in 2022-2023, significantly below the state averages. The school's performance is particularly low for its African American and low socioeconomic status student subgroups. Interestingly, the nearby schools, such as Comegys Benjamin B School, Harrington Avery D School, and Morton Thomas G School, also struggle with low academic performance, with some schools having less than 10% of students proficient in core subjects.

The analysis suggests that the persistent academic challenges faced by Independence Charter School West and the surrounding schools serving predominantly African American and economically disadvantaged student populations in the Philadelphia area may require a more comprehensive approach beyond just increased spending and resources. Potential areas for further investigation and improvement may include examining the quality of instruction, addressing social-emotional and non-academic barriers to learning, strengthening family and community engagement, and exploring innovative instructional strategies tailored to the unique needs of the student population. By addressing the root causes of the achievement gap, these schools may be able to make meaningful progress in providing a high-quality education for all learners.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

5600 Chester Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19143

(215) 724-5600

District: Independence Charter School West

SchoolDigger Rank:
1362^nd of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,132

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 833

Racial breakdown:

African American:

90.3%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Two or more races:

3.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.8%

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Compare Independence Charter School West to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Independence Charter School West ranks worse than 88.8% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.73. (See more...)

Compare Details Independence Charter School West ranks worse than 85.6% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.58. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (90.3%), Hispanic (3.6%), two or more races (3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Independence Charter School West is 14.3. (See more...)

Compare Independence Charter School West employs 58 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Independence Charter School West is $17,132.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Independence Charter School West:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Charter School West 1362^nd of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Independence Charter School West in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Charter School West 764^th of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Independence Charter School West in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

African American students:

Independence Charter School West:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Charter School West 553^rd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Independence Charter School West

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Independence Charter School West

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2019	9.06	1380^th	1544	10.6%
2021	8.23	1280^th	1433	10.7%
2022	10.25	1333^rd	1534	13.1%
2023	9.73	1362^nd	1534	11.2%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	12.46	1269^th	1414	10.3%

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 West

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	15.62	945^th	1043	9.4%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	36.99	262^nd	437	40.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

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

Rank History for Independence Charter School West

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Rank History for all middle school students at Independence Charter School West

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2021	13.84	678^th	797	14.9%
2022	11.55	763^rd	883	13.6%
2023	12.58	764^th	893	14.4%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	17.51	732^nd	874	16.2%

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 West

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	18.75	599^th	660	9.2%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	38.46	234^th	421	44.4%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American 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.

Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Independence Charter School West

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2017	14	251	1	5	0	0	26	297
2018	20	345	2	14	0	0	19	400
2019	28	463	1	23	0	1	11	527
2020	27	546	0	23	2	0	13	611
2021	32	621	0	25	3	0	13	694
2022	27	690	0	33	3	0	19	772
2023	23	752	0	30	3	0	25	833

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 West

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	297	16.5	18.0	83.8
2018	400	22.0	18.1	99.5
2019	527	28.0	18.8	99.4
2020	611	41.5	14.7	75
2021	694	53.0	13.0	99.1
2022	772	58.0	13.3	99.6
2023	833	58.0	14.3	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 Independence Charter School West

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	297	16.5	18.0	83.8
2018	400	22.0	18.1	99.5
2019	527	28.0	18.8	99.4
2020	611	41.5	14.7	75
2021	694	53.0	13.0	99.1
2022	772	58.0	13.3	99.6
2023	833	58.0	14.3	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 Independence Charter School West

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,854 (13.4%)	$11,982 (86.6%)	$13,836
2020	$1,369 (9.5%)	$13,049 (90.5%)	$14,418
2021	$2,503 (15.7%)	$13,412 (84.3%)	$15,916
2022	$3,196 (18.7%)	$13,936 (81.3%)	$17,132

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence Charter School West

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 1380^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 1362^nd of 1534 Elementary schools	0.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Independence Charter School West)	22.5	25.5	3%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Independence Charter School West)	33.3	22.7	10.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Independence Charter School West)	10.7	10.3	0.4%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Independence Charter School West)	48.9	45.3	3.6%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Charter School West)	38.3	19.6	18.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (Independence Charter School West)	6.1	9.6	3.5%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Charter School West)	38.8	18.1	20.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
All Grades Math (Independence Charter School West)	15.5	12.2	3.3%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Independence Charter School West)	48.9	38.9	10%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Independence Charter School West)	36	22.5	13.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	527	833	58.1%
African American	463	752	62.4%
American Indian	0	3
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	23	30	30.4%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	28	23	17.9%
Two or More Races	11	25	127.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	99.4%	99.8%	0.3%

Schools Near Independence Charter School West

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				PSSA Math (2023)							PSSA Science (2023)			PSSA English Language Arts (2023)							Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Independence Charter School West	Public, Charter	K-8	5600 Chester Avenue	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Independence Charter School West	Yes	No	No	Yes	(215) 724-5600	833	58	14.3	99.8%	23 (2.8%)	752 (90.3%)	30 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.0%)	9.7	1362^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	11.2%		10.3	1333^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	13.1%	29	25.5	10.3	9.6	9.6	6.9	5.6	12.2	45.3	22.2	38.9	22.7	19.6	18.1	30.1	19.5	30.5	22.5	$17,132	$3,196	$13,936
Mitchell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	5500 Kingsessing Ave	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7880	337	30	11.1	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	312 (92.6%)	15 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.7%)	3.7	1511^th of 1534 public elementary schools	1.5%		5	1470^th of 1534 public elementary schools	4.2%	41	0.0	12.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.7	3.7	32.3	16.6	24.6	7.4	9.4	12.5	8.3	5.6	37.9	14.9	$21,810	$10,806	$11,004
Longstreth William C School	Public	PK, KG-8	5700 Willows Ave	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7870	271	23	11.6	98.9%	1 (0.4%)	263 (97.0%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	4.9	1477^th of 1534 public elementary schools	3.7%		4.7	1480^th of 1534 public elementary schools	3.5%	3	0.0	8.6	4.8	0.0	5.0	0.0	2.8	45.9	26.6	35.2	4.8	20.0	4.8	11.5	38.1	20.7	16.8	$24,358	$13,151	$11,207
Comegys Benjamin B School	Public	K-8	5100 Greenway Ave	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7860	320	21	14.9	100.0%	3 (0.9%)	302 (94.4%)	6 (1.9%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.9%)	5.7	1454^th of 1534 public elementary schools	5.2%		5.8	1450^th of 1534 public elementary schools	5.5%	4	10.3	12.5	8.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	5.2	31.2	17.4	25.4	13.3	25.0	13.2	13.2	17.1	20.9	16.7	$20,666	$11,464	$9,202
Harrington Avery D School	Public	K-8	5300-34 Baltimore Ave	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7920	340	29	11.6	100.0%	3 (0.9%)	320 (94.1%)	8 (2.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.1%)	7.1	1419^th of 1534 public elementary schools	7.5%		6.1	1444^th of 1534 public elementary schools	5.9%	25	4.8	7.5	5.2	8.3	3.4	0.0	5.2	22.5	14.8	19.4	14.3	7.5	18.4	36.1	24.1	33.3	22.0	$22,269	$11,367	$10,902
Morton Thomas G School	Public	K-5	2501 S 63rd St	Philadelphia	19142	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-8160	365	33	11.1	99.7%	5 (1.4%)	305 (83.6%)	31 (8.5%)	15 (4.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.9%)	8	1395^th of 1534 public elementary schools	9.1%		4.6	1482^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	3.4%	87	7.1	8.8	10.4				8.7	41.1		41.1	25.9	19.7	28.5				24.5	$19,804	$9,897	$9,907
Mastery Cs-Harrity Campus	Public, Charter	K-8	5601 Christian Street	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Mastery CS-Harrity Campus	Yes	No	No	Yes	(215) 471-2908	813	47	17.2		4 (0.5%)	764 (94.0%)	19 (2.3%)	6 (0.7%)	6 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	13 (1.6%)	14.4	1284^th of 1534 public elementary schools	16.3%		10.1	1338^th of 1534 public elementary schools	12.8%	54	11.5	12.7	18.3	8.1	20.2	12.8	14.0	37.5	18.8	28.3	33.8	21.1	33.8	46.0	33.8	44.4	35.2	$20,367	$5,669	$14,697
Catharine Joseph School	Public	PK, KG-5	6600 Chester Ave	Philadelphia	19142	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-8150	440	34	12.8	100.0%	3 (0.7%)	315 (71.6%)	65 (14.8%)	30 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (5.9%)	7.2	1418^th of 1534 public elementary schools	7.6%		9.2	1362^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	11.2%	56	17.2	12.7	11.1				13.8	33.3		33.3	18.6	14.3	25.0				19.2	$18,668	$9,966	$8,703
Global Leadership Academy Charter School Southwest at Huey	Public, Charter	K-8	5200 Pine Street	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Global Leadership Academy Charter School Southwest at Huey	Yes	No	No	Yes	(215) 471-2978	532	18	29.5	91.9%	3 (0.6%)	511 (96.1%)	11 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (0.9%)	3.5	1517^th of 1534 public elementary schools	1.1%		3.5	1526^th of 1534 public elementary schools	0.5%	9	1.7	3.0	0.0	1.6	1.9	0.0	1.4	27.2	16.3	22.6	16.7	12.3	9.5	12.5	16.7	21.6	14.6	$20,311	$3,485	$16,825
Anderson Add B School	Public	PK, KG-8	1034 S 60th St	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7890	401	32	12.7	99.8%	4 (1.0%)	380 (94.8%)	11 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	6	1445^th of 1534 public elementary schools	5.8%		7.6	1402^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	8.6%	43	0.0	2.6	6.9	5.6	7.0	0.0	3.7	27.8	2.8	15.3	15.2	8.1	29.0	26.5	14.0	5.3	15.7	$20,717	$9,705	$11,012

Independence Charter School West

Independence Charter School West:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Independence Charter School West:

What do you think?

Rank History for Independence Charter School West

Rank History for all elementary school students at Independence Charter School West

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

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at Independence Charter School West

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

Rank History for Independence Charter School West

Rank History for all middle school students at Independence Charter School West

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

Rank History for middle school Disabled students at Independence Charter School West

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

Enrollment information for Independence Charter School West

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Independence Charter School West

Student/Teacher Ratio Independence Charter School West

Per Pupil Expenditures for Independence Charter School West

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence Charter School West

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Independence Charter School West

Frequently Asked Questions about Independence Charter School West

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