GreatPhillySchools assigns a 1-to-10 rating for each school in up to five categories and in overall quality. A rating of 10 means a school ranks among the top-performing schools for that category, in comparison to other schools located in the city of Philadelphia.

These ratings are to help make finding, sorting and comparing schools easier. They are not intended to be the only factor families use in judging whether a school is a good fit for a particular student. No single number, or set of numbers, can substitute for a family’s comprehensive understanding of a school’s strengths and weaknesses. Like people, all schools have unique strengths and weaknesses. Our hope is that the ratings on GPS will help parents, guardians and students identify those so they can ask the right questions during their school research and when they visit schools.

There are ratings in five categories:

• Academics (reading and math performance, measured against grade-level standards)
• Safety (based on fewest reported serious incidents)
• Student Attendance (an indicator of student engagement and school culture)
• Achievement Gap (an indicator of a school’s record in helping students of limited financial means learn)
• College Bound (how many high-school graduates enroll in 2- or 4-year college in the year after high school)

A school’s overall rating is based on a combination of its ratings in academics, college enrollment (high schools only), attendance and safety. For a more detailed explanation of the ratings, see our methodology.

Use Ratings as a Guide, Not as a Determining Factor

In the end, choosing a school must be a personal choice—one that is made on the basis of a particular student’s needs, capabilities and interests. As you think about choosing a school, consider what you want the outcome(s) to be for your student, both in the next year and long term. Is it learning to read? Developing a passion for school? Overcoming a learning disability? College? A career? GPS ratings are derived from outcomes that are measured broadly, across a school’s entire student body. Use them together with the descriptions and other information provided by schools to see if a school may be a likely fit. But don’t stop there. Call or visit the school and ask for proof of those outcomes that you want for your child. See our list of questions to ask when visiting a school for ideas.

Finally, keep in mind that the ratings on GreatPhillySchools compare schools in the city relative to one another. Schools outside the city are not included here. Because the city’s schools as a whole underperform the state and the nation, an average school in Philadelphia is below average in the United States. Hopefully this won’t always be the case. But for now it is the reality.

Comparing Philly to the State