Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

Summary:

Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School is a public high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, serving 469 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Philadelphia City School District, which is ranked 494 out of 606 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The student population is predominantly Hispanic (56.93%) and African American (31.77%).

Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School consistently ranks in the bottom 10% of Pennsylvania high schools, with significantly below-average performance on Keystone Exams. In 2022-2023, only 7% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in Algebra I, 5.8% in Biology, and 29.2% in Literature, compared to the state averages of 34.1%, 50.7%, and 65.3%, respectively. The school's four-year graduation rate has declined from 76.5% in 2020-2021 to 66.9% in 2022-2023, which is lower than the state average, and the dropout rate has increased from 3% in 2019-2020 to 8% in 2022-2023, higher than the state and district averages.

Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School performs significantly worse than nearby schools like Carver High School, which ranks in the top 20% of Pennsylvania high schools and has much higher academic achievement, graduation rates, and lower dropout rates. Other nearby schools, such as Kensington Health Sciences and Kensington High School, also struggle with low academic performance and high dropout rates, suggesting systemic challenges in the Kensington area. Despite the high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, the school has seen a steady increase in per-student spending, indicating that additional funding alone may not be the sole solution.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1901 N. Front St
Philadelphia, PA 19122

(215) 400-7400

District: Philadelphia City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
619^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,712

Feeder schools for Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School:

Elementary:	Brown Henry A School
	Hartranft John F School
	Hunter William High School
	McKinley William School
	More...
	Richmond School
	Sheridan School
	Webster School
	Welsh John School
	Willard Frances E School
Middle:	Memphis Street Academy Charter School @ JP Jones

Student/teacher ratio: 14.0

Number of students: 469

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

56.9%

African American:

31.8%

White:

6.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School ranks worse than 91.8% of high schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 31^st among 54 ranked high schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 6.43. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

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: Hispanic (56.9%), African American (31.8%), White (6.2%). (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 Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School is 14, which is the 25^th best among 54 high schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)

Compare Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School employs 33.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School is $18,712, which is the 24^th highest among 54 high schools in the Philadelphia City School District.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School 619^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Philadelphia City School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Philadelphia City School District 494^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

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Rank History for all students at Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2007	0.69	608^th	615	1.1%
2008	2.11	604^th	621	2.7%
2009	1.27	618^th	632	2.2%
2010	1.33	637^th	649	1.8%
2011	4.58	623^rd	660	5.6%
2012	1.71	640^th	664	3.6%
2013	0.85	569^th	591	3.7%
2014	0.40	568^th	580	2.1%
2015	1.02	666^th	680	2.1%
2016	0.80	661^st	677	2.4%
2017	0.58	658^th	663	0.8%
2018	2.21	635^th	673	5.6%
2019	1.66	660^th	693	4.8%
2022	3.84	610^th	634	3.8%
2023	6.43	619^th	674	8.2%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	9.28	593^rd	652	9.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	30.24	343^rd	502	31.7%

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

Rank History for African American students at Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	26.86	190^th	260	26.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	13.75	223^rd	252	11.5%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Hispanic 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.

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2006	59	136	9	188	2	n/a	n/a	0	394
2007	59	110	6	203	3	n/a	n/a	0	381
2008	71	186	4	258	2	n/a	n/a	1	522
2009	50	166	7	262	2	n/a	n/a	1	488
2010	46	165	2	290	1	n/a	n/a	1	505
2011	53	174	4	313	0	0	2	0	546
2012	44	119	6	273	0	0	0	0	442
2013	36	119	3	265	0	0	1	0	424
2014	46	118	8	272	1	0	1	0	446
2015	46	137	8	304	1	0	1	0	497
2016	41	146	9	300	0	0	5	0	501
2017	35	155	8	299	0	0	5	0	502
2018	25	149	8	289	1	0	7	0	479
2019	33	151	4	312	1	0	13	0	514
2020	29	157	5	315	0	0	20	0	526
2021	38	151	7	299	0	0	14	0	509
2022	33	145	1	303	0	0	12	0	494
2023	29	149	1	267	2	0	21	0	469

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 Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	394	25.0	15.8	82.2
2007	381	22.0	17.3	n/a
2008	522	27.7	18.8	n/a
2009	488	31.1	15.7	n/a
2010	505	37.1	13.5	99.6
2011	546	41.9	13.0	99.5
2012	442	30.8	14.3	99.3
2013	424	24.4	17.3	99.3
2014	446	23.3	19.1	99.3
2015	497	27.0	18.4	99.4
2016	501	26.0	19.2	100
2017	502	33.3	15.0	99.8
2018	479	27.4	17.4	100
2019	514	27.7	18.5	100
2020	526	32.8	15.9	100
2021	509	35.1	14.4	99.4
2022	494	37.4	13.2	99.4
2023	469	33.3	14.0	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 Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	394	25.0	15.8	82.2
2007	381	22.0	17.3	n/a
2008	522	27.7	18.8	n/a
2009	488	31.1	15.7	n/a
2010	505	37.1	13.5	99.6
2011	546	41.9	13.0	99.5
2012	442	30.8	14.3	99.3
2013	424	24.4	17.3	99.3
2014	446	23.3	19.1	99.3
2015	497	27.0	18.4	99.4
2016	501	26.0	19.2	100
2017	502	33.3	15.0	99.8
2018	479	27.4	17.4	100
2019	514	27.7	18.5	100
2020	526	32.8	15.9	100
2021	509	35.1	14.4	99.4
2022	494	37.4	13.2	99.4
2023	469	33.3	14.0	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 Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,867 (15.0%)	$10,546 (85.0%)	$12,414
2020	$2,882 (20.4%)	$11,220 (79.6%)	$14,102
2021	$3,852 (25.0%)	$11,547 (75.0%)	$15,399
2022	$10,101 (54.0%)	$8,611 (46.0%)	$18,712

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High 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 660^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 619^th of 674 High schools	3.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School)	14.8	7	7.8%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School)	3.1	5.8	2.7%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School)	12.1	29.2	17.1%
11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)	71.5	65.3	6.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	514	469	8.8%
African American	151	149	1.3%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	4	1	75%
Hispanic	312	267	14.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	33	29	12.1%
Two or More Races	13	21	61.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	99.8%	0.2%

Schools Near Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2023)	Keystone Exams Biology (2023)	Keystone Exams Literature (2023)	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	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	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
Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School	Public	9-12	1901 N. Front St	Philadelphia	19122	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7400	469	33	14.0	99.8%	29 (6.2%)	149 (31.8%)	267 (56.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.5%)	6.4	619^th of 674 public high schools	8.2%		3.8	610^th of 634 public high schools	3.8%	9	7.0	5.8	29.2											$18,712	$10,101	$8,611
Penn Treaty School	Public	6-12	600 E Thompson St	Philadelphia	19125	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-3800	468	43	10.8	100.0%	108 (23.1%)	168 (35.9%)	155 (33.1%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.6%)	4.9	644^th of 674 public high schools	4.5%		4.1	605^th of 634 public high schools	4.6%	39	2.7	8.1	26.3	7.9	6.1	0.0	4.6	13.1	13.1	27.8	13.3	28.9	24.0	$22,939	$11,693	$11,247
Kensington Health Sciences	Public	9-12	2463 Emerald St	Philadelphia	19125	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-3609	434	38	11.4	100.0%	28 (6.5%)	68 (15.7%)	320 (73.7%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.8%)	8.4	611^th of 674 public high schools	9.3%		4	608^th of 634 public high schools	4.1%	3	3.1	10.4	39.4											$18,177	$10,429	$7,748
Kensington High School	Public	9-12	2501 Coral St	Philadelphia	19125	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7700	459	45	10.2	100.0%	36 (7.8%)	135 (29.4%)	254 (55.3%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.9%)	8.1	613^th of 674 public high schools	9.1%		4.1	606^th of 634 public high schools	4.4%	7	4.7	11.9	36.5											$22,321	$11,883	$10,438
The U School: Innovative Lab	Public	9-12	2000 N 7th St	Philadelphia	19122	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7450	229	20	11.3	100.0%	7 (3.1%)	174 (76.0%)	41 (17.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.6%)	7.2	618^th of 674 public high schools	8.3%		2.2	629^th of 634 public high schools	0.8%	11	0.0	3.4	39.4											$21,952	$11,334	$10,618
Bodine William W High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	1101 N 4th St	Philadelphia	19123	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(215) 400-7630	547	35	15.5	100.0%	53 (9.7%)	254 (46.4%)	123 (22.5%)	80 (14.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (6.6%)	48.9	389^th of 674 public high schools	42.3%		57.1	327^th of 634 public high schools	48.4%	62	30.1	26.8	78.7											$16,694	$8,688	$8,006
Philadelphia Military Academy at Elverson	Public, Magnet	9-12	2118-2160 N 13th Street	Philadelphia	19122	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(215) 400-7420	336	18	18.4	100.0%	15 (4.5%)	209 (62.2%)	96 (28.6%)	6 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.0%)	5.9	630^th of 674 public high schools	6.5%		3.6	612^th of 634 public high schools	3.5%	18	3.3	3.3	33.3											$17,363	$9,005	$8,357
Technical Freire Charter School	Public, Charter	9-12	2221 North Broad Street	Philadelphia	19132	Philadelphia County	Technical Freire Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(267) 507-1111	461	41	11.2		2 (0.4%)	410 (88.9%)	28 (6.1%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.5%)	12.1	587^th of 674 public high schools	12.9%		8.9	574^th of 634 public high schools	9.5%	13	7.2	14.1	44.0											$20,101	$4,478	$15,623
YouthBuild Phila Charter School	Public, Charter	12	1231 N Broad St 5th floor	Philadelphia	19122	Philadelphia County	Youth Build Phila Charter School	Yes	No	No	No	(215) 627-8671	219	11	19.9	100.0%	2 (0.9%)	196 (89.5%)	14 (6.4%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.3%)								(n/a)														$61,010	$20,813	$40,198
Mastbaum Jules E Area Vocational-Technical School	Public	9-12	3116 Frankford Avenue	Philadelphia	19134	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7220	571	43	13.2	100.0%	26 (4.6%)	252 (44.1%)	256 (44.8%)	9 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.9%)	8.8	608^th of 674 public high schools	9.8%		6.7	585^th of 634 public high schools	7.7%	23	6.7	17.9	31.8											$11,562	$6,455	$5,107

Frequently Asked Questions about Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School

What schools feed into Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School?

Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Brown Henry A School
Elementary : Hartranft John F School
Elementary : Hunter William High School
Elementary : McKinley William School
Elementary : Richmond School
Elementary : Sheridan School
Elementary : Webster School
Elementary : Welsh John School
Elementary : Willard Frances E School
Middle : Memphis Street Academy Charter School @ JP Jones

Is Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School a good school?

Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School ranks in the bottom 8.2% of Pennsylvania high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School?

Students at Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School are 57% Hispanic, 32% African American, 6% White, 4% Two or more races.

What district is Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School in?

Philadelphia City School District

How many students attend Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 469 students attended Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School.

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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.