Keller Elem Gifted Magnet School, Chicago IL

Original Research by School Decision on Keller Elem Gifted Magnet School

Keller Elem Gifted Magnet School is a small selective school in Chicago serving students in grades one through eight, located on the Southwest Side. The school draws a diverse student body: the enrollment is small, with a substantial majority of students identifying as Asian, and a smaller but meaningful share as Black, Hispanic, or White.

The academic profile stands out clearly. In reading and language arts, proficiency runs high across all tested grades, with students at grades five and eight reaching universal proficiency and performance in the low to mid-nineties in grades three through seven. Math proficiency is similarly strong in grades three through seven, with a dip in grade eight to the mid-to-high seventies. Science results, tested in grades five and eight, show strong performance in grade five and solid results in grade eight. Across subjects and grade levels, the school's overall proficiency sits well above the median for districts across Cook County, placing it in the top quartile. All students participated fully in state testing, and individual class cohorts remain small enough that every student tested.

A parent considering this school should understand what it is designed to be. This is a gifted magnet, which means students must qualify through an application or admissions process; it is not a neighborhood school with open enrollment. The gifted designation means the academic program is built for advanced learners. The school serves a full K-8 span, so a child can progress through elementary and into middle years without a transition. The strong proficiency data reflects both the selective entry point and the instructional model, though the dip in grade-eight math and science suggests that as students move into middle school mathematics and science, the pace or complexity shifts measurably.

Housing values in the 60655 zip code are mid-range for Cook County and the Chicago area. Rentals are readily available at moderate cost. The school sits in a neighborhood with established walkability and transit access via the CTA.

Chicago Public Schools is in a structural transition. The district has moved from a mayor-appointed board to a hybrid model with elected members, heading toward a fully elected 21-member board. District policy has also shifted toward strengthening neighborhood schools while still maintaining selective enrollment schools like Keller. The district rolled out a new unified curriculum called Skyline in recent years and replaced traditional school ratings with holistic accountability dashboards beginning in late 2024, changing how families evaluate schools.

For parents of academically advanced students, this school offers a coherent eight-year pathway with measurably strong academic outcomes. For those drawn to selective environments, the small enrollments per grade and high proficiency are appealing. A parent may want to ask the school directly about the admissions process, any waitlists, and how it identifies students for the gifted program, as well as what support is available for students whose performance is solid but below the highest tier.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 393%

School 93% · District 38% · ▲ 55 pts above district

▲ 47 pts above state median · ▲ 54 pts above county median

Grade 496%

School 96% · District 29% · ▲ 67 pts above district

▲ 60 pts above state median · ▲ 68 pts above county median

Grade 596%

School 96% · District 24% · ▲ 73 pts above district

▲ 67 pts above state median · ▲ 75 pts above county median

Grade 693%

School 93% · District 23% · ▲ 70 pts above district

▲ 69 pts above state median · ▲ 76 pts above county median

Grade 7100%

School 100% · District 27% · ▲ 73 pts above district

▲ 71 pts above state median · ▲ 79 pts above county median

Grade 878%

School 78% · District 23% · ▲ 54 pts above district

▲ 55 pts above state median · ▲ 60 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 390%

School 90% · District 36% · ▲ 54 pts above district

▲ 46 pts above state median · ▲ 53 pts above county median

Grade 496%

School 96% · District 39% · ▲ 58 pts above district

▲ 48 pts above state median · ▲ 56 pts above county median

Grade 5100%

School 100% · District 43% · ▲ 57 pts above district

▲ 48 pts above state median · ▲ 54 pts above county median

Grade 697%

School 97% · District 45% · ▲ 52 pts above district

▲ 46 pts above state median · ▲ 54 pts above county median

Grade 796%

School 96% · District 46% · ▲ 50 pts above district

▲ 44 pts above state median · ▲ 51 pts above county median

Grade 8100%

School 100% · District 48% · ▲ 52 pts above district

▲ 47 pts above state median · ▲ 54 pts above county median

Science

Grade 596%

School 96% · District 29% · ▲ 68 pts above district

▲ 60 pts above state median · ▲ 69 pts above county median

Grade 882%

School 82% · District 31% · ▲ 50 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 55 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.