Independence Cs

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 1 schools

An equity score of 54/100 ranks Independence Cs #269 of 649 districts in Pennsylvania (state average 49). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $18,960 per pupil, Independence Cs ranks #257 of 672 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending (Pennsylvania districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

782
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$18,960
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Independence Cs operates 1 public schools serving 782 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Pennsylvania. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Philadelphia County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,960 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 672 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending. See how Pennsylvania compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 78.4% local, 1.3% state, and 20.3% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 54/100, ranked #269 of 649 in Pennsylvania against a state average of 49, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 398:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 19.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 45.4% African American, 29.4% White, 19.6% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Independence Cs, enrolling 796 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Independence Cs accounts for 100.0% of all Independence Cs student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Independence Cs a distant remainder — means Independence Cs-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: elementary. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Independence Cs reports 99.9% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Independence Cs student-counselor ratio is 398:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Independence Cs chronic absenteeism rate is 19.2% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Independence Cs is typically wider than the Independence Cs-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

20.3%
Federal
1.3%
State
78.4%
Local

Funding Equity

54
Equity Score
269 / 649
State Rank
49
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in Independence Cs.

White 29.4%
Hispanic or Latino 19.6%
African American 45.4%
Asian 3.0%
Multiracial 2.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

398:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
19.2%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Independence Cs

School Enrollment
Independence Cs
Charter
796

How Independence Cs Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Pennsylvania districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Mastery Cs-Shoemaker Campus Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Jefferson-Morgan Sd Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Clarion-Limestone Area Sd Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Meyersdale Area Sd Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Susquehanna Community Sd Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Independence Cs's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Pennsylvania

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Philadelphia City Sd
118,335 students · 219 schools · $18,329/pupil
Compare vs Independence Cs →
Commonwealth Charter Academy Cs
20,355 students · 1 schools · $16,549/pupil
Compare vs Independence Cs →
Pittsburgh Sd
20,034 students · 56 schools · $24,008/pupil
Compare vs Independence Cs →
Central Bucks Sd
17,540 students · 23 schools · $18,884/pupil
Compare vs Independence Cs →
Reading Sd
17,363 students · 19 schools · $14,509/pupil
Compare vs Independence Cs →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Independence Cs

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Philadelphia City Sd →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Independence Cs?

Independence Cs has 1 school, including 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 782 students.

How much does Independence Cs spend per student?

Independence Cs spends $18,960 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #269 in Pennsylvania.

What is the demographic composition of Independence Cs?

Independence Cs students are 45.4% African American, 29.4% White, 19.6% Hispanic or Latino, 3.0% Asian, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Independence Cs?

Independence Cs has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #269 out of 649 districts in Pennsylvania.