The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in Science. The lowest is 27% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Peck Elem School
Peck Elementary is a small, predominantly Hispanic neighborhood school on the South Side of Chicago that serves prekindergarten through fourth grade. With an enrollment of just over three-quarters of a thousand students, it is the kind of hyperlocal, early-grades institution that sits at the foundation of Chicago Public Schools' push to strengthen neighborhood school options.
The student body is nearly entirely Hispanic, with a small share of Black and white students. The school enrolls students across all five grade bands it serves, with prekindergarten and third grade notably well-populated, while fifth grade shows a token enrollment, suggesting the school's function is genuinely limited to early elementary. Free-and-reduced-price lunch data was not available, so a parent looking at Peck would want to ask the school directly about the share of economically disadvantaged students it serves and what supports are available.
On recent state assessments, Peck's proficiency results are modest. In third-grade English and math, proficiency sits in the low-to-mid range. Fourth-grade English proficiency runs somewhat higher, while fourth-grade math proficiency is notably lower. These results place the school below the midpoint on overall proficiency when measured against other Cook County districts. Grade five data was not available, which is consistent with the grade-span design. Science testing data comes from an older administration cycle and is not current enough to characterize present performance.
The school lies in the 60629 zip code on Chicago's South Side, an area with modest housing values and rents. The local real estate market shows modest appreciation year-over-year, and rental supply remains moderate relative to demand. For families seeking affordable housing and neighborhood-based education, the area fits a particular housing profile. Chicago itself is in a period of resumed population growth after years of decline, and the city's strategic focus on neighborhood schools signals a long-term intent to stabilize and invest in institutions like Peck.
Chicago Public Schools is undergoing significant governance and curricular change. A newly elected school board is taking shape for the first time, and the district has adopted a five-year strategic plan that explicitly prioritizes neighborhood schools over school-choice models. The district has also rolled out Skyline, a comprehensive PreK-12 curriculum available at no cost to schools. These shifts aim to reduce inequities between choice-based schools and neighborhood schools, a meaningful backdrop for families enrolling in a traditional neighborhood elementary like Peck.
Program detail and staffing information were not provided in the available data. A parent considering Peck should reach out to the school directly to understand teaching staff, class sizes, special education services, English learner support, and enrichment or after-school offerings. The school's website may have these details, or a school visit would give a firsthand sense of the environment and instructional approach.
Peck Elementary represents the neighborhood-school pathway that CPS is now prioritizing. Its location, small size, and early-grades focus make it a stable, local option for families whose children live in the area and who value walking to school and deep community ties. The test results show room for growth in core academics, which a parent would want to understand through direct conversation with school leadership about instructional strategies, intervention systems, and student support.
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