PhiladelphiaIntervention cohortsmedium
Philadelphia Military Academy graduates 100% — and 26% read at grade level
Thesis
Philadelphia Military Academy posts a 100% 4-year graduation rate while only 25.9% of its students score Proficient or Advanced on the Keystone Literature exam. This isn't unusual at Philly's specialty / alternative HS where the graduation requirement is largely seat-time-based and the test-proficiency requirement waiver is used. The case study: what does 'graduating' from PMA mean for college and career outcomes?
Supporting findings
- Philadelphia Military Academy: 100% 4-year graduation rate (every cohort 2018-19 onwards).
- Same school: 25.9% Keystone Literature proficient.
- Pattern not unique to PMA — several Philly HS with high grad rates and low Keystone proficiency.
- Implication: 4-year grad rate is necessary but insufficient as an outcome measure. Need to triangulate with post-secondary enrollment, employment.
Reporting directions
- Pull the full list of Philly schools with grad ≥95 AND Keystone Lit <50. PMA is the headline; how many other schools fit?
- Use SDP's College Matriculation CSV (separate from our v1 ingest) to see where PMA graduates go.
- Talk to PMA leadership about the rubric for graduation requirements.
Methodology & replication recipe — the queries + sources behind the findings above.