Brentano Elem Math & Science Acad, Chicago IL

Original Research by School Decision on Brentano Elem Math & Science Acad

Brentano Elementary Math & Science Academy sits on the Northwest Side of Chicago and admits through open enrollment, serving preK through eighth grade. The school draws a mixed student body: just under half the enrollment is Hispanic, with white students making up a somewhat smaller share, and Black, multiracial, and Asian students present in smaller numbers. The civil-rights data provided do not indicate the share of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, qualifying for special education, or identified as English learners, so a parent may want to look into the school's approach to supporting economically disadvantaged and multilingual families directly with the school.

In math proficiency, Brentano shows a grade-level split. In the early elementary grades tested, proficiency rates sit in the low to mid range: around half of third graders and fifth graders meet state standards, and fourth-grade math proficiency sits a bit lower. By seventh and eighth grade, proficiency rates fall more sharply, dropping to the mid-to-low range. In English language arts, the pattern is notably different. ELA proficiency in third and fourth grade is solid, and proficiency climbs markedly in grades five through eight, with seventh and eighth graders showing strong performance. In science, tested at grades five and eight, proficiency is mixed: grade five posts solid performance while grade eight sits closer to the midpoint. Across all subjects and grades, Brentano sits above the midpoint when compared to the school districts across Cook County, suggesting the school is holding its own among its regional peers, though the data show uneven ground between math and ELA.

Test participation is high across subjects and grades, generally above ninety-five percent, indicating consistent engagement with the state assessment.

The school's name signals a science and math focus, yet the assessment data suggest ELA is a relative strength while math proficiency, especially in the upper grades, warrants attention from families considering the school. A parent may want to ask how the school's curriculum, instruction, and support in mathematics have changed, what drives the shift in student performance from lower to upper grades in that subject, and how the school uses Skyline, the district-wide curriculum now available across CPS, in the core subjects. Brentano sits within Chicago Public Schools, which in 2024 adopted a strategic plan tilted toward neighborhood schools and released new school evaluation dashboards in December 2024 that move beyond test scores to include broader measures of school experience and resource allocation, so the school functions within a district in transition on priorities and how it frames school quality.

The school serves a neighborhood in a city where housing values and rents have risen moderately in recent years and remain accessible relative to national norms, though affordability depends heavily on household income. Chicago itself has resumed population growth and is adding housing approvals, with transit access, lakefront recreation, and a diverse economy anchoring life for families.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 349%

School 49% · District 38% · ▲ 11 pts above district

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

Grade 444%

School 44% · District 29% · ▲ 15 pts above district

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

Grade 554%

School 54% · District 24% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 32 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 739%

School 39% · District 27% · ▲ 12 pts above district

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

Grade 832%

School 32% · District 23% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 354%

School 54% · District 36% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Grade 458%

School 58% · District 39% · ▲ 20 pts above district

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

Grade 576%

School 76% · District 43% · ▲ 33 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 665%

School 65% · District 45% · ▲ 20 pts above district

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

Grade 762%

School 62% · District 46% · ▲ 16 pts above district

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

Grade 870%

School 70% · District 48% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Science

Grade 565%

School 65% · District 29% · ▲ 36 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Grade 849%

School 49% · District 31% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 22 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.