Howe Julia Ward School

Summary:

Howe Julia Ward School is an elementary school in the Philadelphia City School District, serving 206 students in grades K-5. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Howe Julia Ward School has a very high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

Howe Julia Ward School significantly underperforms the Philadelphia City School District and the state of Pennsylvania in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. In 2023-2024, only 15.3% of Howe Julia Ward students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 21.8% for the district and 40.4% for the state. In PSSA English Language Arts, 26.1% of Howe Julia Ward students were proficient or better, compared to 34.2% for the district and 53% for the state. The school's performance has been consistently low, with no more than 26% of students reaching proficiency in any subject or grade level over the past 3 years.

Despite the significant increase in per-student spending and the decrease in student-teacher ratio at Howe Julia Ward School, the academic performance of the school has not shown substantial improvement. This suggests that simply increasing funding and reducing class sizes may not be enough to address the deep-rooted challenges facing this school and others in the district. The nearby schools in the Philadelphia City School District, such as Prince Hall School, Lowell James R School, and Marshall Thurgood, also perform poorly on standardized tests, with proficiency rates generally below 30% in both Math and ELA.


Detail:

Public K-5

 5800 N 13th St
       Philadelphia, PA  19141-4121


(215) 400-3650

District: Philadelphia City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1368th of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $25,895 Help


Students who attend Howe Julia Ward School usually attend:

Middle:    Wagner Gen Louis Middle School
High:    King Martin Luther High School

Student/teacher ratio:  9.8 Help
Number of students:  210

Racial breakdown:

African American:
86.7%
Hispanic:
6.7%
Two or more races:
3.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Howe Julia Ward School ranks worse than 89.6% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 75th 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 9.57. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (86.7%), Hispanic (6.7%), two or more races (3.3%). (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 Howe Julia Ward School is 9.8, which is the 23rd best among 147 elementary schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)
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Compare Howe Julia Ward School employs 21.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Howe Julia Ward School is $25,895, which is the 3rd highest among 147 elementary schools in the Philadelphia City School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Howe Julia Ward School:

SchoolDigger ranks Howe Julia Ward School 1368th of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Howe Julia Ward School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Philadelphia City School District:

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


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Rank History for Howe Julia Ward School

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Rank History for all students at Howe Julia Ward School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 53.95 691st 1302 46.9%
2004 76.31 320th 1308 75.5%
2005 29.76 1035th 1299 20.3%
2006 13.39 1393rd 1545 9.8%
2007 24.34 1320th 1555 15.1%
2008 17.30 1376th 1551 11.3%
2009 4.51 1492nd 1549 3.7%
2010 4.03 1537th 1579 2.7%
2011 7.96 1511th 1597 5.4%
2012 6.42 1506th 1599 5.8%
2013 2.36 1459th 1519 3.9%
2014 1.92 1413th 1467 3.7%
2015 3.50 1426th 1474 3.3%
2016 3.63 1492nd 1554 4.0%
2017 2.45 1517th 1547 1.9%
2018 5.88 1423rd 1530 7.0%
2019 6.29 1421st 1544 8.0%
2021 5.19 1361st 1433 5.0%
2022 6.10 1443rd 1534 5.9%
2023 10.93 1344th 1534 12.4%
2024 9.57 1368th 1526 10.4%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Howe Julia Ward School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 16.06 1218th 1414 13.9%
2024 13.80 1275th 1432 11.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Howe Julia Ward School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 8.73 1347th 1488 9.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Howe Julia Ward School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 11.92 1308th 1495 12.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Howe Julia Ward School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 46.34 199th 437 54.5%
2024 42.29 241st 437 44.9%
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.

Howe Julia Ward School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Howe Julia Ward School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 3 446 7 26 0 n/a n/a 0 482
1989 5 410 12 27 0 n/a n/a 0 454
1990 4 454 21 20 0 n/a n/a 0 499
1991 3 466 26 24 0 n/a n/a 0 519
1992 6 483 22 13 1 n/a n/a 0 525
1993 3 457 13 15 3 n/a n/a 0 491
1994 3 469 8 15 0 n/a n/a 0 495
1995 3 469 4 7 0 n/a n/a 0 483
1996 3 469 4 7 0 n/a n/a 0 483
1997 4 428 6 9 0 n/a n/a 0 447
1998 0 414 1 10 1 n/a n/a 0 426
1999 2 405 0 11 1 n/a n/a 0 419
2000 2 406 2 8 2 n/a n/a 0 420
2001 2 395 3 4 1 n/a n/a 0 405
2002 4 333 2 7 1 n/a n/a 0 347
2003 4 333 2 7 1 n/a n/a 0 347
2004 3 336 0 5 2 n/a n/a 0 346
2005 3 336 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 345
2006 2 348 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 358
2007 0 319 0 14 0 n/a n/a 0 333
2008 1 302 0 6 0 n/a n/a 2 311
2009 2 265 0 3 0 n/a n/a 1 271
2010 1 281 0 5 0 n/a n/a 6 293
2011 0 304 1 6 0 0 11 0 322
2012 0 264 2 10 1 0 16 0 293
2013 0 248 1 5 1 0 19 0 274
2014 1 239 1 5 1 0 19 0 266
2015 1 234 1 4 0 0 19 0 259
2016 1 228 1 6 0 0 23 0 259
2017 0 218 1 5 1 2 15 0 242
2018 0 207 2 10 1 0 12 0 232
2019 1 232 1 17 3 0 7 0 261
2020 0 241 1 11 2 0 4 0 259
2021 0 225 1 7 1 0 2 0 236
2022 0 190 2 11 3 0 2 0 208
2023 0 187 2 8 3 0 6 0 206
2024 0 182 3 14 2 2 7 0 210

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 Howe Julia Ward School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 482 24.0 20.0 n/a
1989 454 27.0 16.8 n/a
1990 499 29.0 17.2 0
1991 519 26.0 19.9 n/a
1992 525 28.0 18.7 n/a
1993 491 30.0 16.4 n/a
1994 495 27.0 18.3 n/a
1995 483 26.0 18.6 n/a
1996 483 26.0 18.6 n/a
1997 447 25.0 17.9 n/a
1998 426 24.0 17.8 n/a
1999 419 23.0 18.2 n/a
2000 420 21.0 20.0 86.9
2001 405 22.0 18.4 87.7
2002 347 15.0 23.1 85.9
2003 347 15.0 23.1 85.9
2004 346 20.0 17.3 90.8
2005 345 22.0 15.7 86.4
2006 358 22.0 16.3 86.6
2007 333 21.0 15.9 88.3
2008 311 19.0 16.4 85.8
2009 271 19.0 14.3 87.4
2010 293 22.0 13.3 101
2011 322 22.0 14.6 99.1
2012 293 20.0 14.6 99
2013 274 15.2 18.0 98.9
2014 266 14.3 18.5 98.9
2015 259 18.0 14.3 98.8
2016 259 17.0 15.2 100
2017 242 18.3 13.1 100
2018 232 15.5 14.9 100
2019 261 16.7 15.6 99.6
2020 259 20.7 12.4 100
2021 236 18.8 12.5 98.7
2022 208 20.5 10.1 98.6
2023 206 21.3 9.6 100
2024 210 21.3 9.8 100

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 Howe Julia Ward School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 482 24.0 20.0 n/a
1989 454 27.0 16.8 n/a
1990 499 29.0 17.2 0
1991 519 26.0 19.9 n/a
1992 525 28.0 18.7 n/a
1993 491 30.0 16.4 n/a
1994 495 27.0 18.3 n/a
1995 483 26.0 18.6 n/a
1996 483 26.0 18.6 n/a
1997 447 25.0 17.9 n/a
1998 426 24.0 17.8 n/a
1999 419 23.0 18.2 n/a
2000 420 21.0 20.0 86.9
2001 405 22.0 18.4 87.7
2002 347 15.0 23.1 85.9
2003 347 15.0 23.1 85.9
2004 346 20.0 17.3 90.8
2005 345 22.0 15.7 86.4
2006 358 22.0 16.3 86.6
2007 333 21.0 15.9 88.3
2008 311 19.0 16.4 85.8
2009 271 19.0 14.3 87.4
2010 293 22.0 13.3 101
2011 322 22.0 14.6 99.1
2012 293 20.0 14.6 99
2013 274 15.2 18.0 98.9
2014 266 14.3 18.5 98.9
2015 259 18.0 14.3 98.8
2016 259 17.0 15.2 100
2017 242 18.3 13.1 100
2018 232 15.5 14.9 100
2019 261 16.7 15.6 99.6
2020 259 20.7 12.4 100
2021 236 18.8 12.5 98.7
2022 208 20.5 10.1 98.6
2023 206 21.3 9.6 100
2024 210 21.3 9.8 100

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 Howe Julia Ward School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $3,238 (20.7%) $12,370 (79.3%) $15,608
2020 $3,458 (20.1%) $13,753 (79.9%) $17,211
2021 $5,068 (26.1%) $14,332 (73.9%) $19,400
2022 $12,160 (47.0%) $13,735 (53.0%) $25,895

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Howe Julia Ward 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 1421st of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 1344th of 1534 Elementary schools
 4.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Howe Julia Ward School)13.122.2
 9.1%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Howe Julia Ward School)18.540.7
 22.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Howe Julia Ward School)1011.5
 1.5%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Howe Julia Ward School)33.334.6
 1.3%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Howe Julia Ward School)16.711.5
 5.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (Howe Julia Ward School)1916
 3%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Howe Julia Ward School)3120
 11%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
All Grades Math (Howe Julia Ward School)14.516.7
 2.2%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Howe Julia Ward School)33.334.6
 1.3%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Howe Julia Ward School)22.724.4
 1.7%
   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 Students261206
 21.1%
African American232187
 19.4%
American Indian33
Asian12
 100%
Hispanic178
 52.9%
Pacific Islander00
White10
 100%
Two or More Races76
 14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.6%100%
 0.4%


Schools Near Howe Julia Ward School









Frequently Asked Questions about Howe Julia Ward School

Students who attend Howe Julia Ward School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Wagner Gen Louis Middle School
High : King Martin Luther High School

Students at Howe Julia Ward School are 87% African American, 7% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 210 students attended Howe Julia Ward School.

Howe Julia Ward School ranks in the bottom 10.4% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.


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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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