Philadelphia high school students struggle on Keystone Exams while the District prioritizes social justice events

Philadelphia schools continue to perform much worse than the majority of schools in the state. Based on the Pennsylvania Department of Education 2024 assessment data, Philadelphia high school students are scoring significantly below the state average — which is already quite low.

The chart below compares the proficiency rate of Philadelphia public high school students to the state average.

2024 Proficiency Rates based on Keystone exams

In order to graduate from high school in Pennsylvania, students are required to pass three Keystone exams in Algebra, Literature, and Biology, although there are alternative pathways to graduation for those who do not meet minimum requirements.

Over 7,000 Philadelphia students took each Keystone exam last school year, and the results are quite alarming — only a quarter of students are proficient in Algebra, only a third are proficient in Biology, and just over half are proficient in Literature. The vast majority of Philadelphia students are not proficient.

Additionally, these results when analyzed by specific high schools are even more concerning as there are some high performing schools that bring up the proficiency percentage and other very low performing schools that are well below the city average.

Despite the struggling proficiency rate, Philadelphia School District appears focused on issues wholly unrelated to academic performance. The school district in collaboration with state Senator Nikil Saval is hosting a “Free Legal Name Change Clinic in honor of “LGBTQIA+ History Month.” The event is being held at Galaei, a self-described radical social justice organization.

Galaei’s mission according to its website emphasizes radicalness, mobilizing for sexual empowerment, and mobilizing against white supremacy.

“Galaei is Queer, Trans, Black, Brown, Indigenous, and People of Color radical social justice organization serving the Latine/a/o/x community while widening our embrace. Galaei provides services, support, and advocacy for all QTBIPOC communities. Galaei mobilizes for access, opportunity, sexual empowerment, and economic justice while overcoming systemic oppression, structural racism, discrimination, and white supremacy.”

Philadelphia School District Communications Director Christina Clark responded to a request for comment about the clinic.

“The School District of Philadelphia follows Board of Education Policy 252 to ensure safety, equity, and justice for all students regardless of gender identity or gender expression so that they can reach their fullest potential,” wrote Clark. “While the event referenced does not use and [sic] District funds or property, nor is it held during school hours, the District recognizes that the event can provide valulable [sic] access for sudents [sic] and community members (this is an event for anyone who may need assistance with obtaining or correcting their critical documents).” [emphasis original]

Co-host of the clinic State Senator Nikil Saval, representing the first district in Philadelphia, also responded to a request for comment.

“Since Day 1, the Trump administration has escalated attacks on people, including children, because of their gender, their race, and where they were born,” wrote Saval. “This has caused overwhelming fear and anxiety for members of our communities who deserve to live their lives fully, without fear of attack. For adults, the weight of this oppression can be overpowering; for children, it can be deadly. While Trump and his billionaire backers try to sow division so that they can put themselves on top, it’s crucial that community leaders and institutions affirm to all children that they deserve respect, understanding, and the support they need to learn and grow. I’m immensely proud to work with the school district to help connect students with this support.”

While the event hosted by the Philadelphia School District and Senator Saval is not taking funds away from students, it is curious why the district would expend staff resources to support the clinic — especially given the potentially discriminatory involvement of Galaei. This organization is designed to support a wide range of minority groups, yet white people do not appear included — at least there is no mention of them — except, of course, as related to fighting white supremacy.

With such abysmal proficiency rates amongst high school students, it seems that the district should be focused on supporting initiatives and resources that aim to improve academic achievement. In just a few years, these students will either enter the workforce or higher education. What are their chances of success given their current proficiency rates?

While some may argue that being adept in Algebra, Biology, or Literature is not necessarily indicative of future life success, the proficiency rates for elementary and middle school students are probably more concerning. The 2024 test scores show only 21.8 percent of third through eighth graders proficient in basic math and only 34.2 percent proficient in English Language Arts.

These test scores are certainly instructive regarding future accomplishments. Children who do not learn to read by the end of elementary school have a much harder time obtaining literacy, and illiterate adults earn significantly less income than those who can read.

It is incumbent upon the school district and local politicians to stop focusing on social justice initiatives that do not result in improved academic outcomes for students. They should end partnerships with radical organizations that push a specific agenda unrelated to student learning. The future of Philadelphia’s children is dependent on the acquisition of essential skills, not radical activism.

Beth Ann Rosica resides in West Chester, has a Ph.D. in Education, and has dedicated her career to advocating on behalf of at-risk children and families, including members of the LGBT community. She covers education issues for Broad + Liberty. Contact her at barosica@broadandliberty.com.