Sullivan James J School

Summary:

Sullivan James J School is an elementary school in Philadelphia, PA, serving 408 students in grades KG-5. It is part of the Philadelphia City School District, which is ranked 494 out of 610 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Unfortunately, Sullivan James J School has consistently ranked in the bottom 5-10% of Pennsylvania elementary schools over the past decade, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school significantly underperforms compared to the district and state in academic performance. In 2023-2024, only 9.7% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 21.8% for the district and 40.4% for the state. Similarly, only 13.4% were proficient or better in PSSA English Language Arts, compared to 34.2% for the district and 53% for the state. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as Hispanic students and English Language Learners, who rank in the bottom 25% of Pennsylvania elementary schools. Despite a relatively low student-teacher ratio and increased spending per student, the academic outcomes have not improved.

When compared to nearby schools within the same district, such as Lawton Henry W School and Bridesburg School, Sullivan James J School generally performs worse across academic metrics. This suggests that the school is facing systemic challenges that require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to address the root causes of its underperformance and ensure equitable access to quality education for all students.


Detail:

Public K-5

 5300 Ditman St
       Philadelphia, PA  19124-2096


(215) 400-3960

District: Philadelphia City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1475th of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $20,437 Help


Students who attend Sullivan James J School usually attend:

Middle:    Harding Warren G Middle School
High:    Frankford High School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.6 Help
Number of students:  380

Racial breakdown:

African American:
42.9%
Hispanic:
41.8%
White:
10.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

 Compare Sullivan James J School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sullivan James J School ranks worse than 96.7% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 120th 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 4.73. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (42.9%), Hispanic (41.8%), White (10.5%). (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 Sullivan James J School is 12.6. 86 elementary schools in the Philadelphia City School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sullivan James J School employs 30.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sullivan James J School is $20,437, which is the 74th highest among 147 elementary schools in the Philadelphia City School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sullivan James J School:

SchoolDigger ranks Sullivan James J School 1475th of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Sullivan James J School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic 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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Your rating for Sullivan James J School?

Rank History for Sullivan James J School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sullivan James J School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 2.49 1236th 1302 5.1%
2004 2.56 1234th 1308 5.7%
2005 2.66 1245th 1299 4.2%
2006 16.17 1368th 1545 11.5%
2007 6.45 1465th 1555 5.8%
2008 5.21 1486th 1551 4.2%
2009 17.23 1376th 1549 11.2%
2010 14.32 1419th 1579 10.1%
2011 13.21 1453rd 1597 9.0%
2012 4.85 1514th 1599 5.3%
2013 1.83 1470th 1519 3.2%
2014 0.97 1445th 1467 1.5%
2015 2.38 1460th 1474 0.9%
2016 1.64 1552nd 1554 0.1%
2017 1.72 1542nd 1547 0.3%
2018 1.83 1521st 1530 0.6%
2019 1.91 1540th 1544 0.3%
2022 4.00 1509th 1534 1.6%
2023 4.38 1499th 1534 2.3%
2024 4.73 1475th 1526 3.3%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sullivan James J School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 24.60 165th 196 15.8%
2024 42.08 117th 200 41.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sullivan James J School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 6.71 1369th 1414 3.2%
2024 7.07 1380th 1432 3.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sullivan James J School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 6.52 1396th 1488 6.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Sullivan James J School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 9.22 1036th 1043 0.7%
2024 12.97 1023rd 1084 5.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sullivan James J School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 4.15 1470th 1495 1.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sullivan James J School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 24.81 352nd 437 19.5%
2024 25.98 348th 437 20.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sullivan James J School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 11.06 415th 432 3.9%
2024 12.01 431st 454 5.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Hispanic 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.

Sullivan James J 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: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, May 31, 2019

Open Quote This school sucks with helping special needs children. The teacher student ratio is ridiculous. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sullivan James J School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 433 84 46 87 6 n/a n/a 0 656
1989 420 92 15 94 5 n/a n/a 0 626
1990 373 114 15 68 3 n/a n/a 0 573
1991 432 99 16 51 1 n/a n/a 0 599
1992 471 61 15 32 0 n/a n/a 0 579
1993 521 48 9 21 1 n/a n/a 0 600
1994 527 50 6 20 0 n/a n/a 0 603
1995 498 58 13 45 1 n/a n/a 0 615
1996 498 58 13 45 1 n/a n/a 0 615
1997 472 60 10 71 0 n/a n/a 0 613
1998 454 108 8 85 1 n/a n/a 0 656
1999 390 114 10 99 0 n/a n/a 0 613
2000 398 153 9 102 1 n/a n/a 0 663
2001 347 184 6 108 1 n/a n/a 0 646
2002 274 246 9 164 1 n/a n/a 0 694
2003 274 246 9 164 1 n/a n/a 0 694
2004 265 266 6 164 2 n/a n/a 0 703
2005 211 292 9 189 1 n/a n/a 0 702
2006 202 314 11 175 0 n/a n/a 0 702
2007 208 316 11 186 0 n/a n/a 0 721
2008 185 276 6 172 2 n/a n/a 34 675
2009 158 285 9 186 3 n/a n/a 40 681
2010 149 256 8 196 1 n/a n/a 39 649
2011 127 272 7 180 3 0 48 0 637
2012 117 268 9 191 5 0 60 0 650
2013 99 305 9 173 4 0 71 0 661
2014 94 329 7 199 4 0 80 0 713
2015 91 314 4 213 1 0 87 0 710
2016 81 334 4 205 2 0 111 0 737
2017 75 369 6 216 3 0 97 0 766
2018 66 350 7 205 0 0 82 0 710
2019 72 348 5 247 0 0 73 0 745
2020 65 284 9 203 0 1 50 0 612
2021 45 218 5 170 1 0 22 0 461
2022 41 186 7 173 2 0 18 0 427
2023 39 174 5 169 1 0 20 0 408
2024 40 163 5 159 0 0 13 0 380

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 Sullivan James J School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 656 32.0 20.5 n/a
1989 626 36.0 17.3 n/a
1990 573 33.0 17.3 0
1991 599 32.0 18.7 n/a
1992 579 31.0 18.6 n/a
1993 600 32.5 18.5 n/a
1994 603 32.0 18.8 n/a
1995 615 35.0 17.6 n/a
1996 615 35.0 17.6 n/a
1997 613 34.0 18.0 n/a
1998 656 35.0 18.7 n/a
1999 613 37.0 16.6 n/a
2000 663 31.0 21.4 80.1
2001 646 34.0 19.0 79.9
2002 694 32.0 21.7 82.1
2003 694 32.0 21.7 82.1
2004 703 36.1 19.5 78.4
2005 702 38.3 18.3 81.2
2006 702 40.2 17.5 81.8
2007 721 41.2 17.5 81.6
2008 675 44.4 15.2 94.5
2009 681 45.3 15.0 98.6
2010 649 49.4 13.1 105.9
2011 637 46.3 13.7 99.5
2012 650 41.0 15.8 99.5
2013 661 39.2 16.8 99.5
2014 713 36.7 19.4 99.6
2015 710 41.0 17.3 99.6
2016 737 42.0 17.5 100
2017 766 43.9 17.4 99.5
2018 710 39.6 17.9 100
2019 745 44.1 16.8 99.9
2020 612 41.8 14.6 100
2021 461 39.7 11.6 99.3
2022 427 39.2 10.8 99.3
2023 408 34.1 11.9 100
2024 380 30.1 12.6 100

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 Sullivan James J School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 656 32.0 20.5 n/a
1989 626 36.0 17.3 n/a
1990 573 33.0 17.3 0
1991 599 32.0 18.7 n/a
1992 579 31.0 18.6 n/a
1993 600 32.5 18.5 n/a
1994 603 32.0 18.8 n/a
1995 615 35.0 17.6 n/a
1996 615 35.0 17.6 n/a
1997 613 34.0 18.0 n/a
1998 656 35.0 18.7 n/a
1999 613 37.0 16.6 n/a
2000 663 31.0 21.4 80.1
2001 646 34.0 19.0 79.9
2002 694 32.0 21.7 82.1
2003 694 32.0 21.7 82.1
2004 703 36.1 19.5 78.4
2005 702 38.3 18.3 81.2
2006 702 40.2 17.5 81.8
2007 721 41.2 17.5 81.6
2008 675 44.4 15.2 94.5
2009 681 45.3 15.0 98.6
2010 649 49.4 13.1 105.9
2011 637 46.3 13.7 99.5
2012 650 41.0 15.8 99.5
2013 661 39.2 16.8 99.5
2014 713 36.7 19.4 99.6
2015 710 41.0 17.3 99.6
2016 737 42.0 17.5 100
2017 766 43.9 17.4 99.5
2018 710 39.6 17.9 100
2019 745 44.1 16.8 99.9
2020 612 41.8 14.6 100
2021 461 39.7 11.6 99.3
2022 427 39.2 10.8 99.3
2023 408 34.1 11.9 100
2024 380 30.1 12.6 100

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 Sullivan James J School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,082 (17.9%) $9,582 (82.2%) $11,663
2020 $2,573 (18.2%) $11,548 (81.8%) $14,121
2021 $4,075 (23.5%) $13,277 (76.5%) $17,352
2022 $9,268 (45.3%) $11,169 (54.7%) $20,437

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sullivan James J 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 1540th of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 1499th of 1534 Elementary schools
 2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Sullivan James J School)5.29.8
 4.6%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Sullivan James J School)15.812
 3.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Sullivan James J School)04.9
 4.9%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Sullivan James J School)20.223.4
 3.2%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Sullivan James J School)6.214.3
 8.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (Sullivan James J School)2.87.8
 5%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Sullivan James J School)17.615.7
 1.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
All Grades Math (Sullivan James J School)2.77.4
 4.7%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Sullivan James J School)20.223.4
 3.2%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Sullivan James J School)13.314.1
 0.8%
   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 Students745408
 45.2%
African American348174
 50%
American Indian01
Asian55
Hispanic247169
 31.6%
Pacific Islander00
White7239
 45.8%
Two or More Races7320
 72.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.9%100%
 0.1%


Schools Near Sullivan James J School









Frequently Asked Questions about Sullivan James J School

Sullivan James J School ranks in the bottom 3.3% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

Students at Sullivan James J School are 43% African American, 42% Hispanic, 11% White, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Students who attend Sullivan James J School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Harding Warren G Middle School
High : Frankford High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 380 students attended Sullivan James J 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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