Dobson James School

Summary:

Dobson James School is an elementary school in Philadelphia, PA, serving 241 students in grades K-8. Despite serving a student population that is almost entirely eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating significant economic disadvantage, the school has outperformed the Philadelphia City School District and the state of Pennsylvania in several key academic areas.

In the 2023-2024 school year, Dobson James School had 59.3% of students proficient or better in PSSA/English Language Arts, compared to 34.2% for the district and 53% for the state. In PSSA/Math, the school had 42.9% proficiency, compared to 21.8% for the district and 40.4% for the state. The school also had significantly higher science proficiency rates, with 77.1% of students proficient or better compared to 41.3% for the district and 65.8% for the state. Additionally, the school has seen a steady increase in per-student spending, from $14,364 in 2018-2019 to $22,389 in 2021-2022, which may be contributing to its improved academic outcomes.

When compared to other schools in the Philadelphia City School District, such as the nearby Henry Charles W School, Dobson James School stands out as a relatively high-performing institution. The school has also been effective in serving its male and African American student subgroups, with these students ranking 488 out of 1,495 and 47 out of 437 Pennsylvania elementary schools, respectively. This suggests the school is implementing strategies that are successfully addressing the needs of traditionally underperforming demographics.


Detail:

Public K-8

 4667 Umbria St
       Philadelphia, PA  19127-1929


(215) 400-3570

District: Philadelphia City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
643rd of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $22,389 Help


Students who attend Dobson James School usually attend:

High:    Roxborough High School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.2 Help
Number of students:  241

Racial breakdown:

White:
48.1%
African American:
31.5%
Hispanic:
8.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Dobson James School ranks better than 57.9% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 14th among 147 ranked elementary schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 62.83. (See more...)
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Compare Details Dobson James School ranks better than 73.3% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.97. (See more...)
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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: White (48.1%), African American (31.5%), Hispanic (8.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dobson James School is 11.2, which is the 40th best among 147 elementary schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)
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Compare Dobson James School employs 21.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dobson James School is $22,389, which is the 30th highest among 147 elementary schools in the Philadelphia City School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Dobson James School:

SchoolDigger ranks Dobson James School 643rd of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Dobson James School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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

SchoolDigger ranks Dobson James School 238th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Dobson James School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Male students:
White students:


Philadelphia City School District:

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

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Dobson James School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Dobson James School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 21.75 1079th 1302 17.1%
2004 38.87 920th 1308 29.7%
2005 67.87 461st 1299 64.5%
2006 66.76 545th 1545 64.7%
2007 54.95 863rd 1555 44.5%
2008 38.31 1169th 1551 24.6%
2009 45.56 1063rd 1549 31.4%
2010 44.53 1107th 1579 29.9%
2011 57.10 861st 1597 46.1%
2012 45.57 1117th 1599 30.1%
2013 45.24 1052nd 1519 30.7%
2014 39.15 1080th 1467 26.4%
2015 29.61 1111th 1474 24.6%
2016 30.60 1175th 1554 24.4%
2017 21.56 1238th 1547 20.0%
2018 29.05 1164th 1530 23.9%
2019 37.39 1090th 1544 29.4%
2022 47.69 931st 1534 39.3%
2023 46.33 932nd 1534 39.2%
2024 62.83 643rd 1526 57.9%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Dobson James School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 40.80 911th 1414 35.6%
2024 47.92 826th 1432 42.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Dobson James School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 52.35 794th 1488 46.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Dobson James School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 68.33 488th 1495 67.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Dobson James School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 83.54 47th 437 89.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Dobson James School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.10 929th 1236 24.8%
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 Dobson James School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Dobson James School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 22.45 536th 643 16.6%
2004 59.81 326th 663 50.8%
2005 52.71 395th 687 42.5%
2006 52.17 430th 736 41.6%
2007 64.65 292nd 749 61.0%
2008 61.91 321st 753 57.4%
2009 63.09 323rd 770 58.1%
2010 51.19 498th 805 38.1%
2011 49.07 527th 825 36.1%
2012 51.53 503rd 834 39.7%
2013 50.12 472nd 758 37.7%
2014 65.88 282nd 728 61.3%
2015 45.86 492nd 835 41.1%
2016 35.64 584th 870 32.9%
2017 21.12 673rd 877 23.3%
2018 25.61 633rd 861 26.5%
2019 31.98 616th 891 30.9%
2022 56.06 399th 883 54.8%
2023 68.69 260th 893 70.9%
2024 70.97 238th 891 73.3%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Dobson James School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 70.80 182nd 874 79.2%
2024 71.01 194th 877 77.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Dobson James School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 77.07 161st 870 81.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Dobson James School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 97.94 8th 673 98.8%
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.

Dobson James School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
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
Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Open Quote Dobson truly is a gem. Small and friendly with an extremely involved home and school association. I was concerned about sending my child to public school with all of the cut backs and issues going on with the district, but Dobson has by far exceeded my expectations and my child is thriving there. This is a high quality school that almost seems to fly under the radar, but is in my view comparable to Meredith, Penn Alexander, etc. This is what a small neighborhood public school is all about. Keep up the good work! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Dobson James School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 180 113 1 0 2 n/a n/a 0 296
1989 199 121 1 0 2 n/a n/a 0 323
1990 203 101 1 0 1 n/a n/a 0 306
1991 210 128 1 1 1 n/a n/a 0 341
1992 197 142 2 1 1 n/a n/a 0 343
1993 186 137 0 2 3 n/a n/a 0 328
1994 194 138 0 3 3 n/a n/a 0 338
1995 188 130 0 4 1 n/a n/a 0 323
1996 188 130 0 4 1 n/a n/a 0 323
1997 171 152 0 1 1 n/a n/a 0 325
1998 161 159 1 3 1 n/a n/a 0 325
1999 179 133 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 315
2000 162 134 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 299
2001 149 136 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 286
2002 152 129 2 6 1 n/a n/a 0 290
2003 152 129 2 6 1 n/a n/a 0 290
2004 149 134 3 6 1 n/a n/a 0 293
2005 167 117 3 4 1 n/a n/a 0 292
2006 166 130 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 303
2007 140 109 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 255
2008 134 107 3 4 0 n/a n/a 7 255
2009 124 125 3 4 0 n/a n/a 7 263
2010 134 116 1 5 0 n/a n/a 8 264
2011 128 105 1 6 0 0 11 0 251
2012 125 108 2 9 0 0 11 0 255
2013 137 105 3 11 0 0 26 0 282
2014 141 107 4 12 0 0 32 0 296
2015 128 106 7 10 0 0 35 0 286
2016 141 105 8 17 0 0 34 0 305
2017 134 107 6 13 0 0 29 0 289
2018 126 90 5 14 0 0 34 0 269
2019 120 94 6 19 0 0 38 0 277
2020 121 65 8 24 0 0 31 0 249
2021 111 66 8 26 0 0 24 0 235
2022 107 64 7 26 0 0 21 0 225
2023 116 76 8 21 1 0 19 0 241

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 Dobson James School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 296 23.0 12.8 n/a
1989 323 23.0 14.0 n/a
1990 306 24.0 12.7 0
1991 341 24.0 14.2 n/a
1992 343 24.0 14.2 n/a
1993 328 22.0 14.9 n/a
1994 338 19.0 17.8 n/a
1995 323 22.0 14.7 n/a
1996 323 22.0 14.7 n/a
1997 325 22.0 14.8 n/a
1998 325 21.0 15.5 n/a
1999 315 19.0 16.6 n/a
2000 299 21.0 14.2 84.6
2001 286 19.0 15.1 85.7
2002 290 18.0 16.1 84.1
2003 290 18.0 16.1 84.1
2004 293 21.2 13.8 82.6
2005 292 18.2 16.0 83.6
2006 303 22.2 13.6 83.8
2007 255 19.3 13.2 84.3
2008 255 21.3 12.0 74.6
2009 263 19.2 13.7 75
2010 264 22.1 11.9 102
2011 251 23.2 10.8 98.8
2012 255 19.4 13.1 98.8
2013 282 19.5 14.4 98.9
2014 296 19.6 15.0 99
2015 286 22.0 13.0 99
2016 305 20.0 15.2 100
2017 289 21.2 13.5 100
2018 269 21.5 12.5 100
2019 277 21.0 13.1 100
2020 249 19.1 12.9 100
2021 235 19.4 12.0 98.7
2022 225 19.8 11.3 98.7
2023 241 21.4 11.2 100

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 Dobson James School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 296 23.0 12.8 n/a
1989 323 23.0 14.0 n/a
1990 306 24.0 12.7 0
1991 341 24.0 14.2 n/a
1992 343 24.0 14.2 n/a
1993 328 22.0 14.9 n/a
1994 338 19.0 17.8 n/a
1995 323 22.0 14.7 n/a
1996 323 22.0 14.7 n/a
1997 325 22.0 14.8 n/a
1998 325 21.0 15.5 n/a
1999 315 19.0 16.6 n/a
2000 299 21.0 14.2 84.6
2001 286 19.0 15.1 85.7
2002 290 18.0 16.1 84.1
2003 290 18.0 16.1 84.1
2004 293 21.2 13.8 82.6
2005 292 18.2 16.0 83.6
2006 303 22.2 13.6 83.8
2007 255 19.3 13.2 84.3
2008 255 21.3 12.0 74.6
2009 263 19.2 13.7 75
2010 264 22.1 11.9 102
2011 251 23.2 10.8 98.8
2012 255 19.4 13.1 98.8
2013 282 19.5 14.4 98.9
2014 296 19.6 15.0 99
2015 286 22.0 13.0 99
2016 305 20.0 15.2 100
2017 289 21.2 13.5 100
2018 269 21.5 12.5 100
2019 277 21.0 13.1 100
2020 249 19.1 12.9 100
2021 235 19.4 12.0 98.7
2022 225 19.8 11.3 98.7
2023 241 21.4 11.2 100

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 Dobson James School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,750 (12.2%) $12,615 (87.8%) $14,364
2020 $1,913 (10.6%) $16,188 (89.4%) $18,101
2021 $4,400 (22.7%) $15,005 (77.3%) $19,405
2022 $8,975 (40.1%) $13,413 (59.9%) $22,388

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Dobson James 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 1090th of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 932nd of 1534 Elementary schools
 9.8%
Ranks 616th of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 260th of 893 Middle schools
 40%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Dobson James School)53.170.5
 17.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dobson James School)68.877.7
 8.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Dobson James School)3743.4
 6.4%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Dobson James School)81.570
 11.5%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Dobson James School)77.846.6
 31.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (Dobson James School)15.426
 10.6%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Dobson James School)4143.5
 2.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
6th Grade Math (Dobson James School)1611.8
 4.2%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Dobson James School)3650
 14%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Dobson James School)29.450
 20.6%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Dobson James School)64.772
 7.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Dobson James School)19.130
 10.9%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Dobson James School)38.160
 21.9%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Dobson James School)47.675
 27.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Dobson James School)28.638.9
 10.3%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Dobson James School)62.566
 3.5%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Dobson James School)55.359.9
 4.6%
   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 Students277241
 13%
African American9476
 19.1%
American Indian01
Asian68
 33.3%
Hispanic1921
 10.5%
Pacific Islander00
White120116
 3.3%
Two or More Races3819
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Dobson James School









Frequently Asked Questions about Dobson James School

Students who attend Dobson James School usually go on to attend:

High : Roxborough High School

Dobson James School ranks 643rd of 1526 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Dobson James School are 48% White, 32% African American, 9% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 241 students attended Dobson James 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.





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