Middle Years Alternative

Q: Is Middle Years Alternative a good school?

Middle Years Alternative ranks 626 th of 893 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Middle Years Alternative is a public middle school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, serving 171 students in grades 6-8 and part of the Philadelphia City School District.

Middle Years Alternative has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (84.21%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 46.36% to 93% African American. Academically, the school consistently ranks in the bottom half of Pennsylvania middle schools, with only 13.6% of students proficient or better in Math and 37.6% in English Language Arts. While the school ranks in the top 28% for African American students, it ranks in the bottom 57% for low-income students, indicating an achievement gap. Additionally, Middle Years Alternative has seen a steady increase in its dropout rate, from 0.0% in 2019-2020 to 1.5% in 2022-2023, higher than surrounding schools.

Despite having the highest spending per student ($21,863) among nearby schools, Middle Years Alternative's academic performance remains significantly lower than state and district averages. This suggests that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution, and factors like teacher quality, curriculum, and school leadership may play a crucial role. The nearby schools, such as Amy NW, Young Scholars Charter School, and Bala-Cynwyd Middle School, could potentially benefit from collaborative efforts to share best practices and support students from similar socioeconomic and demographic backgrounds.

Detail:

Public 5-8

4725 Fairmont Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19139

(215) 400-7720

District: Philadelphia City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
626^th of 893 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,863

Student/teacher ratio: 13.9

Number of students: 171

Racial breakdown:

African American:

84.2%

Hispanic:

10.5%

Asian:

3.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Pennsylvania middle schools

Compare Middle Years Alternative to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Middle Years Alternative ranks worse than 70.1% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 5^th among 14 ranked middle schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.8. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Middle Years Alternative has the smallest middle school student body size in the Philadelphia City School District. Racial makeup is: African American (84.2%), Hispanic (10.5%), Asian (3.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Middle Years Alternative is 13.9, which is the 5^th best among 14 middle schools in the Philadelphia City School District. (See more...)

Compare Middle Years Alternative employs 12.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Middle Years Alternative is $21,863, which is the 5^th highest among 14 middle schools in the Philadelphia City School District.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Middle Years Alternative:

SchoolDigger ranks Middle Years Alternative 626^th of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Middle Years Alternative in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

Philadelphia City School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Philadelphia City School District 494^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Middle Years Alternative

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Rank History for all students at Middle Years Alternative

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	60.36	302^nd	643	53.0%
2004	67.78	243^rd	663	63.3%
2005	76.60	168^th	687	75.5%
2006	68.34	239^th	736	67.5%
2007	71.11	221^st	749	70.5%
2008	69.60	230^th	753	69.5%
2009	58.22	388^th	770	49.6%
2010	52.96	478^th	805	40.6%
2011	44.86	563^rd	825	31.8%
2012	49.96	524^th	834	37.2%
2013	35.44	569^th	758	24.9%
2014	34.98	537^th	728	26.2%
2015	30.56	582^nd	835	30.3%
2016	31.81	609^th	870	30.0%
2017	38.43	566^th	877	35.5%
2018	34.21	581^st	861	32.5%
2019	27.15	641^st	891	28.1%
2021	16.21	656^th	797	17.7%
2022	29.34	610^th	883	30.9%
2023	28.80	626^th	893	29.9%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Middle Years Alternative

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	44.24	494^th	874	43.5%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for African American students at Middle Years Alternative

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	61.78	119^th	421	71.7%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle 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.

Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Middle Years Alternative

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	71	87	20	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	180
1990	126	151	17	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	296
1991	115	147	18	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	282
1992	110	158	19	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	289
1993	86	193	20	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	300
1994	69	185	19	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	276
1995	75	187	15	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	283
1996	75	187	15	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	283
1997	67	187	14	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	272
1998	77	195	14	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	289
1999	74	181	14	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	273
2000	81	176	18	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	280
2001	79	160	20	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	263
2002	53	192	19	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	268
2003	53	192	19	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	268
2004	57	226	22	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	306
2005	54	226	21	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	305
2006	46	235	18	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	303
2007	37	233	15	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	291
2008	28	240	20	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	297
2009	14	238	21	4	1	n/a	n/a	2	280
2010	7	246	14	4	1	n/a	n/a	4	276
2011	5	218	11	4	0	0	6	0	244
2012	7	220	15	4	1	0	10	0	257
2013	7	256	21	7	1	0	10	0	302
2014	4	245	29	7	2	0	13	0	300
2015	3	215	20	2	2	0	8	0	250
2016	5	196	25	2	0	0	9	0	237
2017	3	207	26	7	0	0	13	0	256
2018	3	222	28	8	1	0	9	0	271
2019	3	223	26	7	1	0	10	0	270
2020	5	204	33	7	1	0	10	0	260
2021	4	214	28	7	1	0	8	0	262
2022	3	169	18	12	0	0	4	0	206
2023	0	144	6	18	0	0	3	0	171

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 Middle Years Alternative

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	180	12.0	15.0	n/a
1990	296	10.0	29.6	0
1991	282	22.0	12.8	n/a
1992	289	17.0	17.0	n/a
1993	300	16.0	18.8	n/a
1994	276	15.0	18.4	n/a
1995	283	16.0	17.7	n/a
1996	283	16.0	17.7	n/a
1997	272	16.0	17.0	n/a
1998	289	15.0	19.3	n/a
1999	273	16.0	17.1	n/a
2000	280	15.0	18.7	71.1
2001	263	17.0	15.5	70.7
2002	268	16.0	16.8	98.9
2003	268	16.0	16.8	98.9
2004	306	16.6	18.4	92.5
2005	305	17.7	17.2	99
2006	303	14.7	20.6	99
2007	291	17.6	16.5	99
2008	297	17.6	16.9	99
2009	280	16.5	16.9	n/a
2010	276	16.5	16.6	100.4
2011	244	16.5	14.7	98.8
2012	257	16.0	16.0	98.8
2013	302	21.0	14.3	99
2014	300	17.0	17.6	99
2015	250	14.0	17.8	98.8
2016	237	12.0	19.7	100
2017	256	16.7	15.2	100
2018	271	16.9	16.0	99.6
2019	270	17.7	15.2	100
2020	260	16.8	15.4	100
2021	262	14.6	17.9	98.9
2022	206	16.2	12.6	98.5
2023	171	12.3	13.9	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 Middle Years Alternative

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	180	12.0	15.0	n/a
1990	296	10.0	29.6	0
1991	282	22.0	12.8	n/a
1992	289	17.0	17.0	n/a
1993	300	16.0	18.8	n/a
1994	276	15.0	18.4	n/a
1995	283	16.0	17.7	n/a
1996	283	16.0	17.7	n/a
1997	272	16.0	17.0	n/a
1998	289	15.0	19.3	n/a
1999	273	16.0	17.1	n/a
2000	280	15.0	18.7	71.1
2001	263	17.0	15.5	70.7
2002	268	16.0	16.8	98.9
2003	268	16.0	16.8	98.9
2004	306	16.6	18.4	92.5
2005	305	17.7	17.2	99
2006	303	14.7	20.6	99
2007	291	17.6	16.5	99
2008	297	17.6	16.9	99
2009	280	16.5	16.9	n/a
2010	276	16.5	16.6	100.4
2011	244	16.5	14.7	98.8
2012	257	16.0	16.0	98.8
2013	302	21.0	14.3	99
2014	300	17.0	17.6	99
2015	250	14.0	17.8	98.8
2016	237	12.0	19.7	100
2017	256	16.7	15.2	100
2018	271	16.9	16.0	99.6
2019	270	17.7	15.2	100
2020	260	16.8	15.4	100
2021	262	14.6	17.9	98.9
2022	206	16.2	12.6	98.5
2023	171	12.3	13.9	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 Middle Years Alternative

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,543 (11.8%)	$11,479 (88.1%)	$13,023
2020	$1,506 (10.4%)	$12,995 (89.6%)	$14,501
2021	$2,892 (20.4%)	$11,290 (79.6%)	$14,183
2022	$12,538 (57.3%)	$9,325 (42.7%)	$21,863

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Middle Years Alternative

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 641^st of 891 Middle schools	Ranks 626^th of 893 Middle schools	1.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Middle Years Alternative)	20.8	8.1	12.7%
6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	39	36.4	2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Middle Years Alternative)	37.8	21	16.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63	55.6	7.4%
7th Grade Math (Middle Years Alternative)	22.8	13.8	9%
7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	38.2	33.2	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Middle Years Alternative)	44.3	37.8	6.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.5	54.5	6%
8th Grade Math (Middle Years Alternative)	13.6	17	3.4%
8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	32.2	26	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Middle Years Alternative)	45.4	42.4	3%
8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	58.2	57	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Middle Years Alternative)	45.5	48.3	2.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	57.9	52.8	5.1%
All Grades Math (Middle Years Alternative)	18.6	13.6	5%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Middle Years Alternative)	45.4	42.4	3%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Middle Years Alternative)	41.2	37.6	3.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	270	171	36.7%
African American	223	144	35.4%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	26	6	76.9%
Hispanic	7	18	157.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	3	0	100%
Two or More Races	10	3	70%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Middle Years Alternative

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				PSSA Math (2023)					PSSA Science (2023)		PSSA English Language Arts (2023)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Middle Years Alternative	Public	5-8	4725 Fairmont Ave	Philadelphia	19139	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7720	171	12	13.9	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	144 (84.2%)	18 (10.5%)	6 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.8%)	28.8	626^th of 893 public middle schools	29.9%		29.3	610^th of 883 public middle schools	30.9%	16		8.1	13.8	17.0	13.6	42.4	42.4		21.0	37.8	48.3	37.6	$21,863	$12,538	$9,325
Science Leadership Academy Middle School	Public	5-8	3610 Warren St	Philadelphia	19104	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-8320	359	19	18.6	100.0%	82 (22.8%)	226 (63.0%)	16 (4.5%)	21 (5.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.6%)	43.3	526^th of 893 public middle schools	41.1%		46.6	494^th of 883 public middle schools	44.1%	32	33.3	16.1	27.9	5.1	21.0	48.1	48.1	62.1	55.6	55.8	50.1	56.0	$15,922	$8,876	$7,046
Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School	Public, Charter	5-9	2601 S 58th St	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(215) 878-1544	414	30	13.8	96.9%	1 (0.2%)	385 (93.0%)	7 (1.7%)	13 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.9%)	10.8	784^th of 893 public middle schools	12.2%		10.8	777^th of 883 public middle schools	12.0%	7	8.2	6.2	2.7	4.5	5.0	24.5	24.5	29.5	26.6	21.3	26.8	25.6	$19,383	$5,450	$13,933
Beverly Hills Middle School	Public	6-8	1400 Garrett Rd	Upper Darby	19082	Delaware County	Upper Darby School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 626-9317	1,523	96	15.8	99.9%	55 (3.6%)	778 (51.1%)	309 (20.3%)	310 (20.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	69 (4.5%)	16.5	718^th of 893 public middle schools	19.6%		20.5	672^nd of 883 public middle schools	23.9%	46		9.4	9.2	8.2	8.9	30.7	30.7		29.4	29.9	32.0	30.5	$14,312	$2,052	$12,261
Tilden William T Middle School	Public	5-8	6601 Elmwood Ave	Philadelphia	19142	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-8170	332	24	13.6	99.1%	7 (2.1%)	250 (75.3%)	45 (13.6%)	23 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.1%)	6.1	872^nd of 893 public middle schools	2.4%		7.2	844^th of 883 public middle schools	4.4%	28	3.2	1.2	4.3	0.0	1.9	11.9	11.9	9.7	16.5	18.2	11.3	14.6	$19,659	$9,795	$9,864
Universal Vare Charter School	Public, Charter	5-8	2100 South 24th Street	Philadelphia	19145	Philadelphia County	Universal Vare Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(215) 952-8611	150	11	13.6	90.7%	1 (0.7%)	102 (68.0%)	15 (10.0%)	26 (17.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.0%)	13.8	744^th of 893 public middle schools	16.7%		19.7	679^th of 883 public middle schools	23.1%	65	0.0	6.6	7.4	6.4	6.1	27.6	27.6	8.3	32.6	21.4	28.3	26.4	$22,516	$10,558	$11,958
Young Scholars Charter School	Public, Charter	5-8	900 N Marshall St	Philadelphia	19123	Philadelphia County	Young Scholars Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(215) 232-9727	267	10	26.7	99.3%	5 (1.9%)	217 (81.3%)	3 (1.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (15.0%)	13.6	747^th of 893 public middle schools	16.3%		12.5	755^th of 883 public middle schools	14.5%	8		1.2	2.6	7.6	3.7	34.2	34.2		16.7	14.3	39.8	23.4	$21,977	$5,322	$16,656
Bala-Cynwyd Middle School	Public	5-8	510 Bryn Mawr Ave	Bala Cynwyd	19004	Montgomery County	Lower Merion School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 645-1480	809	80	10.1	12.0%	526 (65.0%)	59 (7.3%)	42 (5.2%)	106 (13.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	76 (9.4%)	98	7^th of 893 public middle schools	99.2%		97.2	8^th of 883 public middle schools	99.1%	1	87.2	85.2	70.9	72.6	79.0	94.2	94.2	89.1	88.1	87.6	86.5	87.8	$30,919	$297	$30,622
Penn Wood Middle School	Public	7-8	121 Summit St	Darby	19023	Delaware County	William Penn School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 586-1804	683	53	12.8	100.0%	24 (3.5%)	589 (86.2%)	35 (5.1%)	9 (1.3%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.2%)	13.9	743^rd of 893 public middle schools	16.8%		13	748^th of 883 public middle schools	15.3%	5			10.5	4.8	7.7	22.6	22.6			33.1	22.3	27.6	$18,766	$834	$17,932
Drexel Hill Middle School	Public	6-8	3001 State Rd	Drexel Hill	19026	Delaware County	Upper Darby School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 853-4580	1,318	86	15.3	100.0%	436 (33.1%)	611 (46.4%)	116 (8.8%)	73 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	80 (6.1%)	30.1	621^st of 893 public middle schools	30.5%		28	624^th of 883 public middle schools	29.3%	3		17.2	16.2	10.1	14.5	43.4	43.4		42.3	39.5	44.2	42.1	$14,826	$1,033	$13,793

Frequently Asked Questions about Middle Years Alternative

What district is Middle Years Alternative in?

Philadelphia City School District

How many students attend Middle Years Alternative?

In the 2022-23 school year, 171 students attended Middle Years Alternative.

Is Middle Years Alternative a good school?

Middle Years Alternative ranks 626^th of 893 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Middle Years Alternative?

Students at Middle Years Alternative are 84% African American, 11% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

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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.