South Philadelphia High School

Summary:

South Philadelphia High School is a public high school serving 611 students in grades 9-12 in the Philadelphia City School District. Despite being located in the same district, the school has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Pennsylvania high schools over the past decade, with a 0 out of 5 star rating from SchoolDigger.

South Philadelphia High School significantly underperforms compared to the district and state on standardized tests, with only 8% of 11th graders proficient or better in Algebra I and 14.7% proficient or better in Biology, compared to 25.7% and 32.3% for the district, respectively. The school also struggles with low graduation rates, ranging from 65.3% to 87.5% in recent years, and relatively high dropout rates. Notably, the school performs particularly poorly for African American, Hispanic, and low socioeconomic status students.

Interestingly, Creative and Performing Arts, Academy at Palumbo, and other higher-performing public and charter schools are located in the same area, significantly outperforming South Philadelphia High School on academic measures. Despite spending significantly more per student ($18,161 in 2021-2022) than the state average, the school has not been able to translate this into improved outcomes, suggesting that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution to the school's challenges.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 2101 S Broad St
       Philadelphia, PA  19148-2541


(215) 400-8400

District: Philadelphia City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
624th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,161 Help


Feeder schools for South Philadelphia High School:

Elementary:    Bregy F Amedee School
    Childs George W School
    Fell D Newlin School
    Jenks Abram School
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  11.9 Help
Number of students:  611

Racial breakdown:

African American:
39.3%
Hispanic:
34.5%
Asian:
10.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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 Compare South Philadelphia High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details South Philadelphia High School ranks worse than 91% of high schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 29th among 54 ranked high schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.4. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at South Philadelphia High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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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: African American (39.3%), Hispanic (34.5%), Asian (10.6%). (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 South Philadelphia High School is 11.9, which is the 13th best among 54 high schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)
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Compare South Philadelphia High School employs 51 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Philadelphia High School is $18,161. 27 high schools in the Philadelphia City School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Philadelphia High School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Philadelphia High School 624th of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See South Philadelphia High School in the ranking list.)

High 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 South Philadelphia High School?

Rank History for South Philadelphia High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at South Philadelphia High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 4.01 539th 583 7.5%
2004 2.32 560th 590 5.1%
2005 3.60 556th 593 6.2%
2006 4.93 575th 604 4.8%
2007 1.73 596th 615 3.1%
2008 3.04 597th 621 3.9%
2009 1.11 621st 632 1.7%
2010 1.28 639th 649 1.5%
2011 3.49 630th 660 4.5%
2012 4.13 621st 664 6.5%
2013 0.78 575th 591 2.7%
2014 0.57 561st 580 3.3%
2015 1.54 651st 680 4.3%
2016 0.78 662nd 677 2.2%
2017 0.98 651st 663 1.8%
2018 0.73 667th 673 0.9%
2019 1.18 676th 693 2.5%
2022 5.04 594th 634 6.3%
2023 5.67 634th 674 5.9%
2024 7.40 624th 686 9.0%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South Philadelphia High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 48.30 34th 85 60.0%
2024 46.54 38th 84 54.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Philadelphia High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 8.12 607th 652 6.9%
2024 12.17 587th 664 11.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South Philadelphia High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 5.41 619th 665 6.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at South Philadelphia High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 13.97 481st 502 4.2%
2024 18.70 453rd 513 11.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Philadelphia High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 9.47 596th 662 10.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at South Philadelphia High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 15.71 229th 260 11.9%
2024 20.65 228th 284 19.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Philadelphia High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 11.70 231st 252 8.3%
2024 15.22 241st 274 12.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Hispanic 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.

South Philadelphia High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

by a citizen
Monday, March 28, 2022

Open Quote Since South Philly High has become a community school I have seen this school make a lot of improvements in trying to engage the community to support the students. Close Quote



Enrollment information for South Philadelphia High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 908 1547 332 58 4 n/a n/a 0 2849
1989 721 1233 333 55 3 n/a n/a 0 2345
1990 637 1067 325 60 4 n/a n/a 0 2093
1991 510 836 293 51 5 n/a n/a 0 1695
1992 430 750 349 40 3 n/a n/a 0 1572
1993 389 685 338 34 2 n/a n/a 0 1448
1994 371 667 302 37 3 n/a n/a 0 1380
1995 380 760 292 42 3 n/a n/a 0 1477
1996 380 760 292 42 3 n/a n/a 0 1477
1997 343 772 319 44 2 n/a n/a 0 1480
1998 315 775 353 47 0 n/a n/a 0 1490
1999 252 711 335 32 0 n/a n/a 0 1330
2000 240 671 343 41 0 n/a n/a 0 1295
2001 245 614 298 33 1 n/a n/a 0 1191
2002 158 655 327 43 1 n/a n/a 0 1184
2003 158 655 327 43 1 n/a n/a 0 1184
2004 178 763 310 54 2 n/a n/a 0 1307
2005 157 829 327 86 4 n/a n/a 0 1403
2006 166 1072 303 82 4 n/a n/a 0 1627
2007 117 868 257 71 3 n/a n/a 0 1316
2008 90 1073 244 67 2 n/a n/a 25 1501
2009 72 818 228 65 3 n/a n/a 12 1198
2010 53 632 192 63 2 n/a n/a 6 948
2011 74 569 209 57 2 0 6 0 917
2012 79 573 249 54 4 0 7 0 966
2013 44 361 187 56 1 0 9 0 658
2014 74 666 212 91 1 0 12 0 1056
2015 72 450 157 82 1 0 16 0 778
2016 81 405 123 91 0 0 19 0 719
2017 66 343 104 72 2 0 16 0 603
2018 70 292 95 82 0 0 32 0 571
2019 77 346 97 94 0 0 39 0 653
2020 64 310 88 143 0 1 37 0 643
2021 58 300 99 152 0 1 46 0 656
2022 46 291 84 191 0 1 30 0 643
2023 53 240 65 211 0 0 42 0 611

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 South Philadelphia High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2849 153.0 18.6 n/a
1989 2345 136.0 17.2 n/a
1990 2093 129.0 16.2 0
1991 1695 117.0 14.4 n/a
1992 1572 102.0 15.4 n/a
1993 1448 89.0 16.3 n/a
1994 1380 84.0 16.4 n/a
1995 1477 80.0 18.5 n/a
1996 1477 80.0 18.5 n/a
1997 1480 79.0 18.7 n/a
1998 1490 81.0 18.4 n/a
1999 1330 77.0 17.3 n/a
2000 1295 82.0 15.8 84.3
2001 1191 71.5 16.7 85.7
2002 1184 62.0 19.1 86.4
2003 1184 62.0 19.1 86.4
2004 1307 60.0 21.8 76.5
2005 1403 63.0 22.3 72.9
2006 1627 69.0 23.6 82.5
2007 1316 71.0 18.5 92.2
2008 1501 85.0 17.7 82.8
2009 1198 82.2 14.6 86.3
2010 948 89.9 10.5 96.7
2011 917 78.2 11.7 96.1
2012 966 60.7 15.9 75.5
2013 658 53.8 12.2 95.1
2014 1056 79.0 13.3 97.2
2015 778 63.0 12.3 99.6
2016 719 58.0 12.3 100
2017 603 55.2 10.9 100
2018 571 49.8 11.4 100
2019 653 50.2 12.9 99.7
2020 643 39.9 16.0 100
2021 656 46.9 13.9 99.5
2022 643 47.6 13.4 99.5
2023 611 51.0 11.9 100

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 South Philadelphia High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2849 153.0 18.6 n/a
1989 2345 136.0 17.2 n/a
1990 2093 129.0 16.2 0
1991 1695 117.0 14.4 n/a
1992 1572 102.0 15.4 n/a
1993 1448 89.0 16.3 n/a
1994 1380 84.0 16.4 n/a
1995 1477 80.0 18.5 n/a
1996 1477 80.0 18.5 n/a
1997 1480 79.0 18.7 n/a
1998 1490 81.0 18.4 n/a
1999 1330 77.0 17.3 n/a
2000 1295 82.0 15.8 84.3
2001 1191 71.5 16.7 85.7
2002 1184 62.0 19.1 86.4
2003 1184 62.0 19.1 86.4
2004 1307 60.0 21.8 76.5
2005 1403 63.0 22.3 72.9
2006 1627 69.0 23.6 82.5
2007 1316 71.0 18.5 92.2
2008 1501 85.0 17.7 82.8
2009 1198 82.2 14.6 86.3
2010 948 89.9 10.5 96.7
2011 917 78.2 11.7 96.1
2012 966 60.7 15.9 75.5
2013 658 53.8 12.2 95.1
2014 1056 79.0 13.3 97.2
2015 778 63.0 12.3 99.6
2016 719 58.0 12.3 100
2017 603 55.2 10.9 100
2018 571 49.8 11.4 100
2019 653 50.2 12.9 99.7
2020 643 39.9 16.0 100
2021 656 46.9 13.9 99.5
2022 643 47.6 13.4 99.5
2023 611 51.0 11.9 100

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 South Philadelphia High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,356 (17.6%) $11,027 (82.4%) $13,384
2020 $3,651 (22.3%) $12,736 (77.7%) $16,388
2021 $4,327 (26.5%) $12,004 (73.5%) $16,331
2022 $9,563 (52.7%) $8,598 (47.3%) $18,161

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

Impact of COVID-19 on South Philadelphia High 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 676th of 693 High schoolsRanks 634th of 674 High schools
 3.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (South Philadelphia High School)8.86.2
 2.6%
   11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)63.334.1
 29.2%
11th Grade Biology (South Philadelphia High School)6.75.2
 1.5%
   11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)63.250.7
 12.5%
11th Grade Literature (South Philadelphia High School)10.323.4
 13.1%
   11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)71.565.3
 6.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students653611
 6.4%
African American346240
 30.6%
American Indian00
Asian9765
 33%
Hispanic94211
 124.5%
Pacific Islander00
White7753
 31.2%
Two or More Races3942
 7.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.7%100%
 0.3%


Schools Near South Philadelphia High School









Frequently Asked Questions about South Philadelphia High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 611 students attended South Philadelphia High School.

Students at South Philadelphia High School are 39% African American, 35% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 9% White, 7% Two or more races.

South Philadelphia High School ranks in the bottom 9.0% of Pennsylvania high schools.

South Philadelphia High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Bregy F Amedee School
Elementary : Childs George W School
Elementary : Fell D Newlin School
Elementary : Jenks Abram School
Elementary : Key Francis Scott School
Elementary : McDaniel Delaplaine School
Elementary : Southwark School
Elementary : Stanton Edwin Middle 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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