Castor Gardens Middle School

Summary:

Castor Gardens Middle School is a public middle school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, serving 1,260 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Philadelphia City School District, which is ranked 494 out of 610 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Castor Gardens Middle School consistently ranks in the bottom half of Pennsylvania middle schools, with PSSA test scores that are significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, only 17.1% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 40.4% statewide and 21.8% in the Philadelphia City School District. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as White students (0 out of 5 stars) and Hispanic students (1 out of 5 stars). Additionally, Castor Gardens Middle School has had relatively high dropout rates, ranging from 1.6% to 5.9% over the past few years, which are higher than the state and district averages.

The nearby schools in the Philadelphia City School District, such as Conwell Russell Middle School, John B Stetson Middle School, and Harding Warren G Middle School, also perform poorly on academic measures and have similar socioeconomic challenges, suggesting systemic issues within the district. In contrast, the nearby Murray Avenue School, which is part of the Lower Moreland Township School District, consistently ranks among the top middle schools in Pennsylvania and outperforms Castor Gardens Middle School across all academic metrics.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1800 Cottman Ave
       Philadelphia, PA  19111-3851


(215) 400-3190

District: Philadelphia City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
668th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,900 Help


Students who attend Castor Gardens Middle School usually attend:

High:    Northeast High School

Feeder schools for Castor Gardens Middle School:

Elementary:    Crossan Kennedy C School
    Moore J Hampton School
    Rhawnhurst School
    Solis-Cohen Solomon School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.3 Help
Number of students:  1,260

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
35.5%
African American:
24.2%
Asian:
20.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated Pennsylvania middle schools

 Compare Castor Gardens Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Castor Gardens Middle School ranks worse than 75% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 6th among 14 ranked middle schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.75. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Castor Gardens Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (35.5%), African American (24.2%), Asian (20.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Castor Gardens Middle School is 17.3. 10 middle schools in the Philadelphia City School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Castor Gardens Middle School employs 72.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Castor Gardens Middle School is $16,900. 10 middle schools in the Philadelphia City School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Castor Gardens Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Castor Gardens Middle School 668th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Castor Gardens Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
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 494th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Castor Gardens Middle School?

Rank History for Castor Gardens Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 15.59 555th 643 13.7%
2004 27.62 537th 663 19.0%
2005 33.48 531st 687 22.7%
2006 38.32 526th 736 28.5%
2007 38.25 542nd 749 27.6%
2008 30.62 588th 753 21.9%
2009 34.70 589th 770 23.5%
2010 37.89 605th 805 24.8%
2011 22.64 694th 825 15.9%
2012 20.31 695th 834 16.7%
2013 18.38 628th 758 17.2%
2014 16.70 617th 728 15.2%
2015 28.58 602nd 835 27.9%
2016 24.70 649th 870 25.4%
2017 21.73 668th 877 23.8%
2018 21.37 655th 861 23.9%
2019 19.06 691st 891 22.4%
2021 13.48 682nd 797 14.4%
2022 26.68 629th 883 28.8%
2023 24.95 651st 893 27.1%
2024 22.75 668th 891 25.0%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 22.44 153rd 187 18.2%
2024 16.02 178th 199 10.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 63.55 28th 143 80.4%
2024 58.23 36th 150 76.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 42.58 517th 874 40.8%
2024 37.46 565th 877 35.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 19.38 675th 860 21.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 27.21 497th 660 24.7%
2024 22.99 561st 672 16.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 25.65 641st 870 26.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 20.63 120th 144 16.7%
2024 22.30 117th 145 19.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 41.58 214th 421 49.2%
2024 38.61 229th 408 43.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 24.45 289th 362 20.2%
2024 20.58 306th 362 15.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Castor Gardens Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 4.84 667th 681 2.1%
2024 4.69 653rd 673 3.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle 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.

Castor Gardens Middle 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%

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by a parent
Sunday, May 6, 2018

Open Quote My Grandson had the beat experience in this school. Ms. Glover and Ms. Snyder has helped to mature and grow. They not only taught him about school work, but also taught him to experience life. Thank You all for Devon's best school year Close Quote



Enrollment information for Castor Gardens Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 584 395 29 32 0 n/a n/a -122 918
1989 558 391 28 37 1 n/a n/a 0 1015
1990 599 427 30 23 1 n/a n/a 0 1080
1991 638 392 40 28 0 n/a n/a 0 1098
1992 657 379 45 35 1 n/a n/a 0 1117
1993 653 418 45 39 0 n/a n/a 0 1155
1994 679 414 67 45 0 n/a n/a 0 1205
1995 705 376 75 79 3 n/a n/a 0 1238
1996 705 376 75 79 3 n/a n/a 0 1238
1997 697 375 75 84 3 n/a n/a 0 1234
1998 716 374 87 82 4 n/a n/a 0 1263
1999 667 396 91 99 1 n/a n/a 0 1254
2000 634 383 108 106 2 n/a n/a 0 1233
2001 612 439 111 122 2 n/a n/a 0 1286
2002 515 421 151 176 2 n/a n/a 0 1265
2003 515 421 151 176 2 n/a n/a 0 1265
2004 469 406 196 177 1 n/a n/a 0 1249
2005 381 395 197 177 1 n/a n/a 0 1151
2006 381 402 217 184 1 n/a n/a 0 1185
2007 343 418 231 197 1 n/a n/a 0 1190
2008 332 399 243 212 1 n/a n/a 18 1205
2009 272 385 240 206 2 n/a n/a 22 1127
2010 244 403 241 237 2 n/a n/a 27 1154
2011 245 433 224 276 4 0 62 0 1244
2012 234 410 211 270 3 0 74 0 1202
2013 227 391 217 243 1 0 83 0 1162
2014 220 380 222 249 2 3 90 0 1166
2015 200 358 223 257 1 4 88 0 1131
2016 177 392 240 259 2 3 105 0 1178
2017 202 385 266 304 3 2 132 0 1294
2018 184 399 270 318 4 1 143 0 1319
2019 161 395 272 375 5 0 127 0 1335
2020 153 443 287 432 6 1 108 0 1430
2021 176 372 286 440 8 3 100 0 1385
2022 158 326 271 420 5 5 70 0 1255
2023 175 305 263 447 4 4 62 0 1260

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 Castor Gardens Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 918 62.0 14.8 n/a
1989 1015 66.0 15.3 n/a
1990 1080 68.0 15.8 0
1991 1098 67.0 16.3 n/a
1992 1117 67.0 16.6 n/a
1993 1155 63.0 18.3 n/a
1994 1205 61.0 19.8 n/a
1995 1238 69.0 17.9 n/a
1996 1238 69.0 17.9 n/a
1997 1234 69.0 17.9 n/a
1998 1263 63.0 20.0 n/a
1999 1254 66.0 19.0 n/a
2000 1233 71.0 17.4 40.8
2001 1286 72.0 17.9 38.8
2002 1265 63.0 20.1 46.6
2003 1265 63.0 20.1 46.6
2004 1249 60.9 20.5 52
2005 1151 59.8 19.2 51.3
2006 1185 65.7 18.0 60.3
2007 1190 65.7 18.1 65.9
2008 1205 62.1 19.4 66
2009 1127 66.6 16.9 72
2010 1154 65.5 17.6 80
2011 1244 64.8 19.1 72
2012 1202 56.4 21.2 79.4
2013 1162 60.2 19.2 86.6
2014 1166 54.2 21.5 83.4
2015 1131 63.0 17.9 83.8
2016 1178 54.0 21.8 100
2017 1294 72.7 17.7 99.9
2018 1319 73.2 18.0 99.8
2019 1335 75.2 17.7 99.9
2020 1430 46.8 30.5 100
2021 1385 50.7 27.2 99.8
2022 1255 64.2 19.5 99.8
2023 1260 72.6 17.3 100

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 Castor Gardens Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 918 62.0 14.8 n/a
1989 1015 66.0 15.3 n/a
1990 1080 68.0 15.8 0
1991 1098 67.0 16.3 n/a
1992 1117 67.0 16.6 n/a
1993 1155 63.0 18.3 n/a
1994 1205 61.0 19.8 n/a
1995 1238 69.0 17.9 n/a
1996 1238 69.0 17.9 n/a
1997 1234 69.0 17.9 n/a
1998 1263 63.0 20.0 n/a
1999 1254 66.0 19.0 n/a
2000 1233 71.0 17.4 40.8
2001 1286 72.0 17.9 38.8
2002 1265 63.0 20.1 46.6
2003 1265 63.0 20.1 46.6
2004 1249 60.9 20.5 52
2005 1151 59.8 19.2 51.3
2006 1185 65.7 18.0 60.3
2007 1190 65.7 18.1 65.9
2008 1205 62.1 19.4 66
2009 1127 66.6 16.9 72
2010 1154 65.5 17.6 80
2011 1244 64.8 19.1 72
2012 1202 56.4 21.2 79.4
2013 1162 60.2 19.2 86.6
2014 1166 54.2 21.5 83.4
2015 1131 63.0 17.9 83.8
2016 1178 54.0 21.8 100
2017 1294 72.7 17.7 99.9
2018 1319 73.2 18.0 99.8
2019 1335 75.2 17.7 99.9
2020 1430 46.8 30.5 100
2021 1385 50.7 27.2 99.8
2022 1255 64.2 19.5 99.8
2023 1260 72.6 17.3 100

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 Castor Gardens Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,254 (10.5%) $10,700 (89.5%) $11,954
2020 $1,199 (10.0%) $10,799 (90.0%) $11,998
2021 $1,896 (14.2%) $11,465 (85.8%) $13,361
2022 $8,969 (53.1%) $7,931 (46.9%) $16,900

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Castor Gardens Middle 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 691st of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 651st of 893 Middle schools
 4.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Castor Gardens Middle School)1215.9
 3.9%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Castor Gardens Middle School)33.735.7
 2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Castor Gardens Middle School)23.312
 11.3%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Castor Gardens Middle School)37.240.6
 3.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Castor Gardens Middle School)18.416.1
 2.3%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Castor Gardens Middle School)32.134.5
 2.4%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Castor Gardens Middle School)30.335.3
 5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Castor Gardens Middle School)17.614.7
 2.9%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Castor Gardens Middle School)32.134.5
 2.4%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Castor Gardens Middle School)33.737.1
 3.4%
   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 Students13351260
 5.6%
African American395305
 22.8%
American Indian54
 20%
Asian272263
 3.3%
Hispanic375447
 19.2%
Pacific Islander04
White161175
 8.7%
Two or More Races12762
 51.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.9%100%
 0.1%


Schools Near Castor Gardens Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Castor Gardens Middle School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,260 students attended Castor Gardens Middle School.

Students at Castor Gardens Middle School are 35% Hispanic, 24% African American, 21% Asian, 14% White, 5% Two or more races.

Students who attend Castor Gardens Middle School usually go on to attend Northeast High School

Castor Gardens Middle School ranks 668th of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.


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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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