Science Leadership Academy

Summary:

Science Leadership Academy (SLA) is a public magnet high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, serving 497 students in grades 9-12. This exceptional school consistently ranks among the top high schools in the state, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

SLA's academic performance is truly outstanding, with students significantly outperforming the district and state averages on Keystone Exams, with 81% proficient or better in Algebra I, 74.4% in Biology, and 95% in Literature. The school's PSSA exam results are equally impressive, with 84.4% of students proficient or better in Math and 94.3% in English Language Arts. SLA excels in serving diverse student populations, including its African American, Hispanic, and low socioeconomic status students, as well as its disabled students, who rank 1st out of 513 Pennsylvania high schools. The school's four-year graduation rate ranges from 87.0% to 97.4%, far exceeding the district and state averages, and its dropout rate is exceptionally low, ranging from 0.2% to 5.5%.

Compared to nearby schools in the Philadelphia City School District, SLA stands out as a true academic powerhouse. While nearby schools like Vaux HS: A Big Picture School, Bodine William W High School, and Franklin Benjamin High School have proficiency rates ranging from 1.7% to 95%, SLA's exceptional performance is a testament to its dedicated staff and innovative educational model, even as it serves a high-need population with nearly all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

1482 Green St
Philadelphia, PA 19130

(215) 979-5620

District: Philadelphia City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
18^th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,357

Student/teacher ratio: 17.2

Number of students: 500

Racial breakdown:

White:

36.2%

African American:

28.4%

Hispanic:

16.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Science Leadership Academy ranks better than 97.4% of high schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 3^rd among 54 ranked high schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.88. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Science Leadership Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Science Leadership Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (36.2%), African American (28.4%), Hispanic (16.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Science Leadership Academy is 17.2. 47 high schools in the Philadelphia City School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Science Leadership Academy employs 29 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Science Leadership Academy is $16,357. 39 high schools in the Philadelphia City School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Science Leadership Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Science Leadership Academy 18^th of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Science Leadership Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Philadelphia City School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Philadelphia City School District 494^th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Science Leadership Academy

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Rank History for all students at Science Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2009	77.56	108^th	632	82.9%
2010	84.82	43^rd	649	93.4%
2011	81.80	66^th	660	90.0%
2012	78.58	98^th	664	85.2%
2013	67.26	179^th	591	69.7%
2014	65.09	216^th	580	62.8%
2015	85.73	49^th	680	92.8%
2016	79.68	108^th	677	84.0%
2017	54.47	389^th	663	41.3%
2018	76.69	153^rd	673	77.3%
2019	71.02	220^th	693	68.3%
2022	79.87	112^th	634	82.3%
2023	93.12	22^nd	674	96.7%
2024	94.88	18^th	686	97.4%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Science Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	96.84	9^th	652	98.6%
2024	97.87	9^th	664	98.6%

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

Rank History for Female students at Science Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	93.02	23^rd	665	96.5%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Science Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	99.82	3^rd	502	99.4%
2024	99.99	1^st	513	99.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Science Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	95.70	18^th	662	97.3%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Science Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	81.95	20^th	112	82.1%
2024	61.06	60^th	121	50.4%

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

Rank History for African American students at Science Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	95.99	6^th	260	97.7%
2024	98.68	4^th	284	98.6%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Science Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	97.73	7^th	252	97.2%
2024	98.20	7^th	274	97.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Science Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	97.61	5^th	577	99.1%
2024	97.32	7^th	595	98.8%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for White 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Science Leadership Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2007	39	54	8	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	109
2008	86	124	16	18	0	n/a	n/a	1	245
2009	128	186	26	24	0	n/a	n/a	2	366
2010	172	242	32	34	0	n/a	n/a	5	485
2011	166	236	36	37	1	0	8	0	484
2012	159	220	46	47	1	0	11	0	484
2013	176	204	46	44	1	0	17	0	488
2014	198	264	52	62	3	1	21	0	601
2015	181	190	48	50	0	1	25	0	495
2016	183	171	51	43	0	1	43	0	492
2017	165	176	53	56	1	1	37	0	489
2018	169	175	54	53	0	0	47	0	498
2019	188	183	56	50	0	0	23	0	500
2020	173	181	50	67	0	0	28	0	499
2021	178	172	48	71	0	0	34	0	503
2022	175	155	50	82	0	1	35	0	498
2023	186	146	54	80	0	1	30	0	497
2024	181	142	53	82	0	1	41	0	500

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 Science Leadership Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	109	9.0	12.1	32.1
2008	245	15.2	16.1	27.5
2009	366	17.4	21.0	22.5
2010	485	26.0	18.6	34.2
2011	484	20.4	23.6	31.8
2012	484	18.9	25.6	31.8
2013	488	14.9	32.7	37.3
2014	601	32.0	18.7	40.6
2015	495	26.0	19.0	34.3
2016	492	13.0	37.8	100
2017	489	28.0	17.4	100
2018	498	15.0	33.1	99.8
2019	500	18.0	27.6	100
2020	499	19.9	24.9	100
2021	503	18.1	27.6	99.4
2022	498	18.9	26.3	99.4
2023	497	27.2	18.2	100
2024	500	29.0	17.2	100

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 Science Leadership Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	109	9.0	12.1	32.1
2008	245	15.2	16.1	27.5
2009	366	17.4	21.0	22.5
2010	485	26.0	18.6	34.2
2011	484	20.4	23.6	31.8
2012	484	18.9	25.6	31.8
2013	488	14.9	32.7	37.3
2014	601	32.0	18.7	40.6
2015	495	26.0	19.0	34.3
2016	492	13.0	37.8	100
2017	489	28.0	17.4	100
2018	498	15.0	33.1	99.8
2019	500	18.0	27.6	100
2020	499	19.9	24.9	100
2021	503	18.1	27.6	99.4
2022	498	18.9	26.3	99.4
2023	497	27.2	18.2	100
2024	500	29.0	17.2	100

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 Science Leadership Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$978 (6.4%)	$14,284 (93.6%)	$15,262
2020	$992 (7.5%)	$12,170 (92.5%)	$13,162
2021	$2,475 (18.1%)	$11,188 (81.9%)	$13,664
2022	$8,617 (52.7%)	$7,740 (47.3%)	$16,357

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Science Leadership Academy

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 220^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 22^nd of 674 High schools	28.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Science Leadership Academy)	70.5	69.4	1.1%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Science Leadership Academy)	67.5	69.4	1.9%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Science Leadership Academy)	84.5	96.7	12.2%
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	500	497	0.6%
African American	183	146	20.2%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	56	54	3.6%
Hispanic	50	80	60%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	188	186	1.1%
Two or More Races	23	30	30.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Science Leadership Academy

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2024)	Keystone Exams Biology (2024)	Keystone Exams Literature (2024)	PSSA Math (2024)					PSSA Science (2024)		PSSA English Language Arts (2024)					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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 5th 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 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
Science Leadership Academy	Public, Magnet	9-12	1482 Green St	Philadelphia	19130	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(215) 979-5620	500	29	17.2	100.0%	181 (36.2%)	142 (28.4%)	82 (16.4%)	53 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (8.2%)	94.9	18^th of 686 public high schools	97.4%		93.1	22^nd of 674 public high schools	96.7%	4	81.0	74.4	95.0													$16,357	$8,617	$7,740
Franklin Benjamin High School	Public	9-12	550 N Broad St	Philadelphia	19130	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7600	543	40	13.5	100.0%	18 (3.3%)	375 (69.1%)	113 (20.8%)	13 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.4%)	3.2	662^nd of 686 public high schools	3.5%		4.3	648^th of 674 public high schools	3.9%	14	4.8	7.9	17.6													$20,117	$10,634	$9,483
Franklin LC	Public, Magnet	9-12	616 N 15th St	Philadelphia	19130	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(215) 400-7570	763	54	14.1	99.6%	46 (6.0%)	367 (48.1%)	233 (30.5%)	91 (11.9%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.4%)	21 (2.8%)	51.6	376^th of 686 public high schools	45.2%		53.6	351^st of 674 public high schools	47.9%	25	25.1	45.8	77.9													$16,434	$8,650	$7,784
Parkway Center City Middle College	Public, Magnet	9-12	540 N 13th Street	Philadelphia	19123	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(215) 400-7620	426	20	20.8	100.0%	13 (3.1%)	283 (66.4%)	73 (17.1%)	34 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (5.2%)	77.8	134^th of 686 public high schools	80.5%		65.4	253^rd of 674 public high schools	62.5%	119	41.8	65.8	95.1													$21,009	$8,697	$12,312
Masterman Julia R Sec School	Public, Magnet	5-12	1699 Spring Garden St	Philadelphia	19130	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	Yes	No	No	(215) 400-7580	1,199	58	20.5	100.0%	478 (39.9%)	199 (16.6%)	96 (8.0%)	330 (27.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	94 (7.8%)	99.1	2^nd of 686 public high schools	99.7%		98.7	2^nd of 674 public high schools	99.7%		98.2	99.1	100.0	94.8	79.3	72.2	93.4	84.4	97.9	97.9	99.3	87.3	92.1	99.5	94.3	$15,137	$7,658	$7,480
Philadelphia Electrical & Technology Charter High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway	Philadelphia	19103	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia Electrical & Technology Charter High School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(267) 514-1824	615	36	16.9	99.5%	26 (4.2%)	527 (85.7%)	32 (5.2%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.2%)	10.5	594^th of 686 public high schools	13.4%		11.2	595^th of 674 public high schools	11.7%	1	7.7	17.1	41.9													$3,089	$3,089	$00
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	256	12	21.3	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	202 (78.9%)	6 (2.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (18.4%)								(n/a)																$61,010	$20,813	$40,198
Freire Charter School	Public, Charter	5-12	2027 Chestnut Street	Philadelphia	19103	Philadelphia County	Freire Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(215) 557-8555	953	83	11.4	99.7%	9 (0.9%)	857 (89.9%)	40 (4.2%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (4.4%)	26.2	526^th of 686 public high schools	23.3%		33.6	492^nd of 674 public high schools	27.0%	34	29.0	25.6	51.2	3.7	2.0	4.4	9.5	5.4	27.4	27.4	14.8	29.6	36.5	50.0	36.5	$18,243	$3,895	$14,348
Vaux HS: A Big Picture School	Public	9-12	2300 W Master St	Philadelphia	19121	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(267) 687-1172	302	23	13.0	99.0%	2 (0.7%)	270 (89.4%)	17 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.6%)	2.7	668^th of 686 public high schools	2.6%		3.1	667^th of 674 public high schools	1.0%	1	3.3	1.7	20.7													$22,407	$9,177	$13,229
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	464	30	15.4	100.0%	57 (12.3%)	185 (39.9%)	113 (24.4%)	74 (15.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (7.3%)	82.5	95^th of 686 public high schools	86.2%		48.9	389^th of 674 public high schools	42.3%	294	52.9	63.3	91.6													$16,694	$8,688	$8,006

Frequently Asked Questions about Science Leadership Academy

What district is Science Leadership Academy in?

Philadelphia City School District

What is the racial makeup of Science Leadership Academy?

Students at Science Leadership Academy are 36% White, 28% African American, 16% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 8% Two or more races.

How many students attend Science Leadership Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 500 students attended Science Leadership Academy.

Is Science Leadership Academy a good school?

Yes! Science Leadership Academy is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 18^th of 686 Pennsylvania high schools.

Rate Science Leadership Academy!

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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.