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Ward J Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-8
446th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 2,056 Illinois Elementary Schools
Better than 78% of Illinois elementary schools
Summary

Ward J Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 495 students in grades PK-8 in Chicago, Illinois, which is part of the Chicago Public Schools District 299. This school consistently outperforms the district and state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science proficiency across all grade levels, with 62.6% of students proficient or better in ELA and 63.3% in Mathematics for the 2024-2025 school year.

Ward J Elementary School's exceptional performance is particularly noteworthy for its low-income and English Language Learner students, ranking in the top 3% and top 18% of Illinois elementary schools in these categories, respectively. However, the school's performance for its Asian student population is relatively low, ranking in the bottom 11% of Illinois elementary schools. The school's fluctuating chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 7.9% to 40.1% over the past few years, are a concern that the school should address to ensure consistent student learning and academic outcomes.

When compared to nearby schools, Sheridan Elementary Math & Science Academy and Healy Elementary School consistently outperform Ward J Elementary School in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency, ranking among the top 15% and 12% of Illinois elementary schools, respectively. In contrast, Drake Elementary School and Pershing Elementary Humanities Magnet lag behind Ward J Elementary School in academic performance, ranking in the bottom 15% and 16% of Illinois elementary schools.

500
Students ?
15.1
Student/teacher ratio ?
$18,340
Per pupil spending ?
79%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 2701 S Shields Ave
       Chicago, IL  60616-2624

(773) 534-9050

District: Chicago Public Schools District 299


Students who attend Ward J Elementary School usually attend:

High:    Phillips Academy High School
Racial breakdown:

Asian:
76.8%
Hispanic:
10.4%
African American:
6.4%
more
 See top rated Illinois elementary schools

 Compare Ward J Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 79th percentile in 2015 → 78th in 2025
Strengths
✓Test scores above the Illinois average (60% vs 44% meeting standards)
✓Ranks in the top 22% of Illinois elementary schools
✓Among the top-ranked schools in Chicago Public Schools District 299
Worth a look
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school60%
District avg33%
Illinois avg44%
Elementary school
446th of 2,056
Illinois public elementary schools ?
Top 22%▼ down 1 pts since 2015
See the entire ranking list of Illinois Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
Middle school
198th of 1,368
Illinois public middle schools ?
Top 14%▲ up 5 pts since 2015
From top 19% (2015) to top 14% (2025)
See the entire ranking list of Illinois Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
48th of 451Elementary Schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299
698th 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

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202577.6446 of 205678.3%★★★★☆
202469.8553 of 206773.2%★★★★☆
202359.2757 of 207763.6%★★★☆☆
202255.4834 of 208259.9%★★★☆☆
202153.8782 of 194859.9%★★★☆☆
201978.8380 of 208681.8%★★★★☆
201874.1469 of 203777.0%★★★★☆
201778.0408 of 204480.0%★★★★☆
201678.9386 of 204681.1%★★★★☆
201574.8434 of 205278.8%★★★★☆
201469.7636 of 209369.6%★★★☆☆
201368.1720 of 216766.8%★★★☆☆
201263.3952 of 216656.0%★★★☆☆
201166.0864 of 214759.8%★★★☆☆
201069.7743 of 213965.3%★★★☆☆
200961.41010 of 212052.4%★★★☆☆
200849.51277 of 209239.0%★★☆☆☆
200742.61453 of 209530.6%★★☆☆☆
200638.31538 of 208626.3%★☆☆☆☆
200518.41751 of 202213.4%★☆☆☆☆
200437.21467 of 203027.7%★☆☆☆☆
200340.51380 of 202031.7%★★☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
201957.7221 of 71168.9%★★★☆☆
201841.0355 of 69849.1%★★☆☆☆

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202534.2181 of 23422.6%★☆☆☆☆
202424.0180 of 21917.8%★☆☆☆☆
202316.4214 of 2379.7%★☆☆☆☆
202211.4210 of 2267.1%☆☆☆☆☆
20217.2129 of 1343.7%☆☆☆☆☆
201934.7181 of 24325.5%★☆☆☆☆
201832.6188 of 24222.3%★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202570.2140 of 78882.2%★★★★☆
202475.090 of 82689.1%★★★★☆
202375.082 of 78889.6%★★★★☆
202264.6146 of 76881.0%★★★★☆
202150.2169 of 53768.5%★★★☆☆
201989.723 of 74396.9%★★★★★
201875.088 of 71887.7%★★★★☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202571.4523 of 194273.1%★★★★☆
202465.1585 of 194269.9%★★★☆☆
202351.7849 of 195756.6%★★★☆☆
202248.1900 of 197054.3%★★★☆☆
202145.7828 of 168050.7%★★★☆☆
201976.5403 of 201980.0%★★★★☆
201868.7559 of 196471.5%★★★★☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202243.8485 of 95449.2%★★☆☆☆
201975.5124 of 95587.0%★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202592.647 of 180097.4%★★★★★
202489.669 of 179396.2%★★★★★
202381.6160 of 180891.2%★★★★★
202279.8167 of 176390.5%★★★★★
202180.1127 of 151491.6%★★★★★
201995.123 of 181698.7%★★★★★
201892.442 of 176597.6%★★★★★

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202579.5366 of 194781.2%★★★★☆
202472.7472 of 195975.9%★★★★☆
202363.4606 of 198469.5%★★★☆☆
202257.5739 of 197762.6%★★★☆☆
202153.3670 of 170760.7%★★★☆☆
201978.5356 of 201982.4%★★★★☆
201876.7403 of 197279.6%★★★★☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202467.5277 of 119576.8%★★★★☆
202359.4350 of 115669.7%★★★☆☆
202244.8484 of 111356.5%★★★☆☆
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202583.4198 of 136885.5%★★★★☆
202477.1264 of 136380.6%★★★★☆
202375.7266 of 136780.5%★★★★☆
202265.6381 of 136972.2%★★★★☆
202170.1291 of 124176.6%★★★★☆
201982.0207 of 135684.7%★★★★☆
201881.6195 of 129384.9%★★★★☆
201782.5192 of 129385.2%★★★★☆
201663.1397 of 129469.3%★★★☆☆
201575.6253 of 130280.6%★★★★☆
201470.8363 of 132272.5%★★★★☆
201377.9266 of 136780.5%★★★★☆
201273.2358 of 136573.8%★★★★☆
201169.3445 of 134466.9%★★★☆☆
201055.2710 of 132746.5%★★☆☆☆
200945.8836 of 131836.6%★★☆☆☆
200841.4862 of 129333.3%★★☆☆☆
200768.3436 of 128766.1%★★★☆☆
200660.6563 of 127255.7%★★★☆☆
200541.7790 of 120934.7%★★☆☆☆
200435.1838 of 120430.4%★★☆☆☆
200332.8850 of 118528.3%★☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
201969.7104 of 56581.6%★★★★☆

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202537.0140 of 18624.7%★☆☆☆☆
202430.2140 of 18423.9%★☆☆☆☆
202329.9148 of 19222.9%★☆☆☆☆
202222.4168 of 19815.2%★☆☆☆☆
202126.885 of 11224.1%★☆☆☆☆
201933.7142 of 20129.4%★☆☆☆☆
201840.5132 of 20936.8%★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202589.417 of 48396.5%★★★★★
202476.935 of 48692.8%★★★★★
202380.226 of 48094.6%★★★★★
202265.954 of 45488.1%★★★★☆
202167.322 of 27792.1%★★★★★
201980.411 of 33996.8%★★★★★
201865.334 of 28588.1%★★★★☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202577.8230 of 124881.6%★★★★☆
202478.0231 of 125181.5%★★★★☆
202372.8275 of 127578.4%★★★★☆
202261.7399 of 128669.0%★★★☆☆
202164.1302 of 101770.3%★★★★☆
201984.3154 of 127687.9%★★★★☆
201883.5162 of 122686.8%★★★★☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202275.4101 of 66284.7%★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202593.935 of 122997.2%★★★★★
202493.330 of 121997.5%★★★★★
202392.333 of 123497.3%★★★★★
202287.259 of 122195.2%★★★★★
202190.043 of 101995.8%★★★★★
201994.726 of 121797.9%★★★★★
201891.248 of 116195.9%★★★★★

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202586.4142 of 127188.8%★★★★☆
202474.0267 of 126478.9%★★★★☆
202373.7256 of 129280.2%★★★★☆
202266.6337 of 128673.8%★★★★☆
202170.6233 of 104877.8%★★★★☆
201977.3233 of 129682.0%★★★★☆
201875.4238 of 122380.5%★★★★☆
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
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)97th percentile+19 vs school
English Language Learner (2025)82nd percentile+4 vs school
Male (2025)81st percentile+3 vs school
Special Education (2024)77th percentile+4 vs school
Female (2025)73rd percentile-5 vs school
African American (2019)69th percentile-13 vs school
Hispanic (2022)49th percentile-11 vs school
Asian (2025)23rd percentile-56 vs school
Middle school
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)97th percentile+12 vs school
English Language Learner (2025)96th percentile+11 vs school
Male (2025)89th percentile+3 vs school
Hispanic (2022)85th percentile+13 vs school
African American (2019)82nd percentile-3 vs school
Female (2025)82nd percentile-4 vs school
Asian (2025)25th percentile-61 vs school
By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?
Mathematics63%+25 vs state
English Language Arts63%+10 vs state
Science57%+14 vs state

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Frequently Asked Questions about Ward J Elementary School

Students who attend Ward J Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Phillips Academy High School

Students at Ward J Elementary School are 77% Asian, 10% Hispanic, 6% African American, 4% White, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2024-25 school year, 500 students attended Ward J Elementary School.

Ward J Elementary School ranks 446th of 2056 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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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.




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