Belding Elem School, Chicago IL - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Belding Elem School

Belding Elem School is a public elementary and middle school on the northwest side of Chicago, serving pre-K through eighth grade. The school draws from a diverse neighborhood population and sits within the broader Chicago Public Schools system, which is currently undergoing significant structural and curricular change.

The school's academic profile reflects mixed performance across subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, proficiency is strongest in the early grades and eighth grade, where more than two-thirds of students meet or exceed standards. Middle grades show more modest results, clustering around the midpoint. Math performance tells a different story: third and fourth graders reach proficiency at rates comparable to ELA, but proficiency declines sharply in grades five through eight, dropping to around four in ten students in the highest grades. Science proficiency in the tested grades (five and eight) sits in the low-to-mid range. Participation in state assessments is very high across nearly every grade, indicating robust test administration. The school's overall proficiency index places it above the median when compared to other schools in Cook County, though this reflects a student population where achievement spans a wide range.

The enrollment of about 563 students is split nearly evenly between white and Hispanic students, with smaller populations of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. The demographic composition is relatively balanced and diverse for a Chicago neighborhood school. Free-and-reduced-price-lunch eligibility data was not available, so a parent should ask the school directly about poverty indicators and support services for low-income families.

Chicago itself is a major, dense city with strong transit access, extensive parkland, and a vibrant neighborhood structure. The northwest side, where Belding sits on North Tripp Avenue, is a residential area with mixed commercial corridors and a long history as a working- and middle-class neighborhood. Housing in the area is moderately priced relative to Chicago's downtown and lakefront neighborhoods but appreciating steadily; rental costs are also rising. The city has returned to population growth after a decade of decline, and housing approvals are accelerating, suggesting an environment of modest development and reinvestment.

Chicago Public Schools is in transition. The Board of Education is moving from mayoral appointment toward full electoral accountability, with all 21 seats to be elected for the first time in November 2026. The district adopted a strategic plan in 2024 that deliberately shifts priority from school choice and selective enrollment toward strengthening neighborhood schools, reversing decades of policy. The district also replaced its numeric school ratings with holistic dashboards in late 2024, changing how schools are measured and compared. All district-managed schools now have access to Skyline, a comprehensive PreK-12 curriculum that standardizes instruction across subjects.

A parent considering Belding should recognize that the school sits within a district actively redefining its goals and accountability systems, which creates both clarity about new priorities and some uncertainty about the pace of implementation. The math performance decline in middle grades warrants a direct conversation with the school about instructional approach, intervention strategies, and supports for students struggling to meet proficiency. The school's above-median position in the county comparison reflects real strength in some grades and subjects, but masks meaningful variation that a family should understand before enrolling.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 362%

School 62% · District 38% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 463%

School 63% · District 29% · ▲ 34 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 24% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 23% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 749%

School 49% · District 27% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 838%

School 38% · District 23% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 362%

School 62% · District 36% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 476%

School 76% · District 39% · ▲ 37 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Grade 560%

School 60% · District 43% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 653%

School 53% · District 45% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 760%

School 60% · District 46% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 868%

School 68% · District 48% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Science

Grade 543%

School 43% · District 29% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 31% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

This schoolChicago Public Schools Dist 299, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.