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Fernwood Elementary School

Q: Is Fernwood Elementary School a good school?

Fernwood Elementary School ranks 1491 st of 2056 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-8

1491^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,056 Illinois Elementary Schools

Better than 27% of Illinois elementary schools

Summary

Fernwood Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Chicago, Illinois, with 255 students. The school is part of the Chicago Public Schools District 299, which is ranked 698 out of 811 districts in Illinois and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Fernwood Elementary has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of Illinois elementary schools, receiving a 1-star rating as well.

Fernwood Elementary consistently underperforms compared to the district and state in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 43% of Fernwood students were proficient in ELA, compared to 42.8% for the district and 53.1% for the state. In Math, only 21.3% of Fernwood students were proficient, compared to 27.3% for the district and 38.5% for the state. The school also has very high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 19.1% to 40.8% over the past few years, significantly higher than the district and state averages. Additionally, Fernwood Elementary has a very high percentage of low socioeconomic status students, with 94.12% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2023-2024 school year.

While Fernwood Elementary overall performs poorly, its African American students perform relatively better, ranking in the top 30% of Illinois elementary schools for this subgroup in recent years. The nearby schools, such as Wacker Elementary, Hughes L Elementary, and Mount Vernon Elementary, also struggle academically and have high rates of poverty and chronic absenteeism, similar to Fernwood Elementary. This indicates that the challenges faced by Fernwood Elementary are not unique and are likely systemic issues within the broader Chicago Public Schools district.

259

Students ?

14.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,281

Per pupil spending ?

87.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

10041 S Union Ave
Chicago, IL 60628-1824

(773) 535-2700

District: Chicago Public Schools District 299

Students who attend Fernwood Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Julian High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

88.0%

Two or more races:

10.0%

Hispanic:

1.9%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Fernwood Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 41st percentile in 2015 → 27th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Illinois average (21% vs 44% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 14 percentile points since 2015

!Science scores 34 pts below the Illinois average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school21%

District avg33%

Illinois avg44%

Elementary school

1,491^st of 2,056

Illinois public elementary schools ?

Bottom 27%▼ down 13 pts since 2015

From bottom 41% (2015) to bottom 27% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

825^th of 1,368

Illinois public middle schools ?

Bottom 40%▲ up 16 pts since 2015

From bottom 24% (2015) to bottom 40% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

190^th of 451Elementary Schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299

698^th of 811Chicago Public Schools District 299 among Illinois districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	27.8	1491 of 2056	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.6	1555 of 2067	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.7	1615 of 2077	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.6	1477 of 2082	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	24.0	1438 of 1948	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	39.2	1217 of 2086	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	26.2	1514 of 2037	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	31.7	1364 of 2044	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	22.5	1627 of 2046	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	36.9	1212 of 2052	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	29.5	1549 of 2093	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	40.0	1406 of 2167	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	47.1	1362 of 2166	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2011	27.3	1714 of 2147	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	43.8	1414 of 2139	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2009	21.3	1778 of 2120	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	19.5	1789 of 2092	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	26.7	1728 of 2095	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	8.5	1923 of 2086	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	9.6	1827 of 2022	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	18.2	1730 of 2030	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	6.4	1857 of 2020	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	61.7	194 of 688	71.8%	★★★★☆
2024	55.6	201 of 655	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.5	259 of 692	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.9	161 of 684	76.5%	★★★★☆
2021	55.8	102 of 428	76.2%	★★★★☆
2019	73.0	99 of 711	86.1%	★★★★☆
2018	59.2	192 of 698	72.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	34.1	1270 of 1942	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	28.4	1364 of 1942	29.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.8	1510 of 1957	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.0	1481 of 1970	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.0	1223 of 1680	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.6	1200 of 2019	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	25.0	1491 of 1964	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	41.3	1081 of 1800	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.0	1059 of 1793	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.0	1175 of 1808	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.9	1049 of 1763	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.0	902 of 1514	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	58.2	600 of 1816	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	41.4	1018 of 1765	42.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	29.6	1349 of 1947	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	26.9	1391 of 1959	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.1	1453 of 1984	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.1	1244 of 1977	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	26.5	1222 of 1707	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	46.1	1009 of 2019	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	29.7	1387 of 1972	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	36.9	825 of 1368	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.7	676 of 1363	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	37.6	809 of 1367	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	24.0	1023 of 1369	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	29.9	825 of 1241	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.1	1058 of 1356	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.5	1067 of 1293	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	38.9	763 of 1293	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	21.7	1066 of 1294	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	24.6	995 of 1302	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	22.6	1084 of 1322	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	46.7	747 of 1367	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2012	30.8	1041 of 1365	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	24.1	1118 of 1344	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	25.3	1069 of 1327	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	29.9	1015 of 1318	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	22.3	1066 of 1293	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	34.9	944 of 1287	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	18.4	1070 of 1272	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	6.0	1121 of 1209	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	7.1	1109 of 1204	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2003	5.9	1119 of 1185	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	67.4	128 of 574	77.7%	★★★★☆
2024	71.7	89 of 548	83.8%	★★★★☆
2023	71.9	82 of 569	85.6%	★★★★☆
2022	50.4	212 of 573	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	65.9	66 of 385	82.9%	★★★★☆
2019	54.3	185 of 565	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.6	215 of 511	57.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	33.2	817 of 1248	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.9	649 of 1251	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	40.3	721 of 1275	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	23.7	982 of 1286	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	30.8	682 of 1017	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	32.5	870 of 1276	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	15.8	1072 of 1226	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	51.7	542 of 1229	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.9	335 of 1219	72.5%	★★★★☆
2023	51.8	505 of 1234	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	35.7	751 of 1221	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	46.3	474 of 1019	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	34.1	830 of 1217	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	28.5	875 of 1161	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	38.4	726 of 1271	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.8	624 of 1264	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	33.6	814 of 1292	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.8	835 of 1286	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	17.4	923 of 1048	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	14.9	1174 of 1296	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	25.0	918 of 1223	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

African American (2025)72nd percentile+44 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)40th percentile+12 vs school

Female (2025)35th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2025)31st percentile+3 vs school

Middle school

African American (2025)78th percentile+38 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)56th percentile+16 vs school

Male (2025)43rd percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)35th percentile-5 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts43%-10 vs state

Mathematics21%-17 vs state

Science9%-34 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, March 6, 2018

My third year at Fernwood Elememtary School & all I can say they are EXCELLENT. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Smalll school. Great staff. Strong administration... Close Quote

Schools Near Fernwood Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ISA Science (2025)		IAR English Language Arts (2025)							IAR Mathematics (2025)							% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% DTP (2024)	% Pneumococcal (2024)	% Meningococcal (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISA Science 5th Grade	ISA Science 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 3rd Grade	IAR English Language Arts 4th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 5th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 6th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts All Grades	IAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	IAR Mathematics 4th Grade	IAR Mathematics 5th Grade	IAR Mathematics 6th Grade	IAR Mathematics 7th Grade	IAR Mathematics 8th Grade	IAR Mathematics All Grades	% Polio All Grades	% Measles All Grades	% Mumps All Grades	% Rubella All Grades	% Hepatitis B All Grades	% Varicella All Grades	% DTP All Grades	% Pneumococcal All Grades	% Meningococcal All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Fernwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	10041 S Union Ave	Chicago	60628	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(773) 535-2700	259	18	14.3	87.6%	0 (0.0%)	228 (88.0%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.0%)	27.8	1491^st of 2056 public elementary schools	27.5%		24.6	1555^th of 2067 public elementary schools	24.8%	64	5.9	12.9	26.7	34.6	25.0	58.1	52.9	51.6	43.0	37.9	32.0	5.0	22.6	21.2	6.5	21.3	78.7	81.1	81.1	81.1	91.3	80.3	79.5		15.4	$19,281	$2,550	$16,732
Evers Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	9811 S Lowe Ave	Chicago	60628	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(773) 535-2565	233	22	10.5	87.1%	0 (0.0%)	222 (95.3%)	11 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20	1665^th of 2056 public elementary schools	19.0%		24.2	1561^st of 2067 public elementary schools	24.5%	104	20.8	16.7	23.8	27.8	45.8	34.6	29.4	61.1	37.1	14.3	22.2	4.3	12.0	12.5	11.1	12.4	87.8	91.2	91.2	91.2	93.2	91.2	85.9	8.8	22.4	$24,873	$3,326	$21,546
Garvey M Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	10309 S Morgan St	Chicago	60643	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(773) 535-2763	262	21	12.4	92.7%	0 (0.0%)	245 (93.5%)	11 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.3%)	19.5	1680^th of 2056 public elementary schools	18.3%		18.6	1721^st of 2067 public elementary schools	16.7%	41	4.2	11.8	42.3	31.3	12.5	50.0	26.3	50.0	36.1	30.8	3.1	0.0	5.0	5.3	11.8	9.7	84.8	93.0	93.0	93.0	97.1	92.6	83.1	10.3	21.4	$22,258	$3,441	$18,817
Wacker Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	9746 S Morgan St	Chicago	60643	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(773) 535-2821	217	22	9.8	85.3%	0 (0.0%)	211 (97.2%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	21.8	1621^st of 2056 public elementary schools	21.2%		22.7	1602^nd of 2067 public elementary schools	22.5%	19	20.0	17.2	43.8	38.5	25.0	18.2	40.0	24.1	30.8	18.8	23.1	5.0	18.2	20.0	10.3	15.8	93.1	97.2	97.2	97.2	91.7	97.2	93.1	7.4	31.0	$26,778	$3,648	$23,130
Hughes L Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	240 W 104th St	Chicago	60628	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(773) 535-5075	431	40	10.9	87.0%	1 (0.2%)	374 (86.8%)	50 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.2%)	10.2	1940^th of 2056 public elementary schools	5.6%		11.4	1997^th of 2067 public elementary schools	3.4%	57	4.0	12.8	25.0	26.3	22.2	20.9	14.8	35.9	24.8	7.0	2.6	0.0	9.5	3.7	7.7	5.6	86.5	91.8	91.4	91.4	94.6	91.4	83.6	23.6	17.1	$26,259	$4,036	$22,223
Mount Vernon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	10540 S Morgan St	Chicago	60643	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(773) 535-2825	245	23	10.6	75.5%	0 (0.0%)	233 (95.1%)	10 (4.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	25	1563^rd of 2056 public elementary schools	24.0%		25.7	1521^st of 2067 public elementary schools	26.4%	42	16.7	8.0	27.8	29.2	43.3	52.2	55.2	72.0	45.5	33.3	16.7	13.3	8.7	13.8	12.0	17.4	82.2	86.4	86.4	86.4	92.2	86.0	85.1		18.2	$25,637	$3,646	$21,991
Green W Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	1150 W 96th St	Chicago	60643	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(773) 535-2575	267	25	10.5	72.3%	3 (1.1%)	250 (93.6%)	10 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	16.4	1754^th of 2056 public elementary schools	14.7%		23.4	1587^th of 2067 public elementary schools	23.2%	167	26.9	30.3	9.5	21.7	37.0	34.8	56.0	57.6	38.2	27.3	13.0	0.0	4.3	19.2	12.5	12.4	91.3	92.3	92.3	92.3	98.0	92.6	90.6	5.7	36.6	$28,145	$3,515	$24,630
Kipling Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	9351 S Lowe Ave	Chicago	60620	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(773) 535-3151	237	20	11.8	87.8%	0 (0.0%)	230 (97.0%)	5 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	25.3	1555^th of 2056 public elementary schools	24.4%		25.5	1531^st of 2067 public elementary schools	25.9%	24	23.5	52.4	42.3	26.7	23.5	31.3	36.0	52.4	35.6	30.8	20.0	17.6	25.0	20.0	38.1	25.2	92.9	95.1	95.1	95.1	96.5	95.1	92.9	5.3	26.6	$23,372	$3,698	$19,674
Barnard Elementary Comp Math & Sci Center	Public	PK, KG-8	10354 S Charles St	Chicago	60643	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(773) 535-2625	243	24	10.1	76.1%	7 (2.9%)	218 (89.7%)	13 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.1%)	36.9	1280^th of 2056 public elementary schools	37.7%		28.4	1450^th of 2067 public elementary schools	29.9%	170	44.4	18.5	37.0	45.8	48.1	31.3	24.0	33.3	36.4	48.1	16.7	29.6	6.3	8.0	0.0	17.9	86.0	86.0	86.0	86.0	92.4	86.0	85.6		17.8	$23,378	$3,897	$19,482
Dunne Technology Academy Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	10845 S Union Ave	Chicago	60628	Cook County	Chicago Public Schools District 299	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(773) 535-5517	206	20	10.3	79.1%	0 (0.0%)	200 (97.1%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	45.8	1083^rd of 2056 public elementary schools	47.3%		28.7	1440^th of 2067 public elementary schools	30.3%	357	10.0	28.0	54.2	60.0	41.4	73.3	41.2	44.0	50.4	45.8	33.3	10.3	26.7	23.5	12.0	24.0	87.2	94.9	94.9	94.9	95.4	94.4	87.2	8.7	27.2	$25,889	$3,786	$22,103

Frequently Asked Questions about Fernwood Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Fernwood Elementary School?

Students at Fernwood Elementary School are 88% African American, 10% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Fernwood Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Fernwood Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Julian High School

What district is Fernwood Elementary School in?

Chicago Public Schools District 299

How many students attend Fernwood Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 259 students attended Fernwood Elementary School.

Is Fernwood Elementary School a good school?

Fernwood Elementary School ranks 1491^st of 2056 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Rate Fernwood Elementary School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board 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.