Walsh Elem School, Chicago IL - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Walsh Elem School

Walsh Elementary School is a small, neighborhood public school serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade on the Near West Side of Chicago. With enrollment distributed across ten grade levels, the school has a tight-knit setting where students spend multiple years in the same building before moving on, a rarity in a city where many families navigate selective enrollment, magnet choice, and charters.

The school's student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial African American enrollment and smaller Asian American and white populations. The school is located in a neighborhood where median home values are in the lower-to-mid range for Cook County and rent has been rising, reflecting broader Chicago growth. Public transit access through CTA bus and the "L" system means many families do not require a car to reach school.

State assessment results from 2024-25 show varied performance across grades and subjects. In English language arts, third and fourth grade students show lower proficiency, while fifth grade performs noticeably higher and eighth grade rebounds to moderate levels; sixth and seventh grades show significant challenges. Mathematics shows a steeper decline as students progress: third and fourth grades reach modest proficiency, fifth grade is comparable, sixth grade proficiency is near zero, seventh grade recovers only slightly, and eighth grade remains low. Science proficiency in fifth and eighth grades falls between these patterns. Across all tested grades, participation in state assessments is strong or complete. A parent may want to look into the school's approach to upper grades, particularly the dramatic drops in sixth and seventh grade math and ELA, to understand what instructional changes or supports are in place.

When compared against the district's other schools in Cook County, Walsh's overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint. The school does not report chronic absenteeism or graduation rate data; these metrics either are not collected at the school or do not apply to its grade band. The school has no published special education or English learner rates, so families working with those student groups should inquire directly with the school about services and staffing.

Chicago Public Schools is undergoing several structural changes that affect all schools. The district is transitioning to a fully elected school board, with all 21 seats set for election in November 2026, giving families a direct voice in governance for the first time. The district's new strategic plan, "Together We Rise," is shifting resources toward neighborhood schools rather than emphasizing school choice, which may influence how Walsh is resourced and positioned over coming years. The district also rolled out Skyline, a uniform PreK-12 curriculum available to all schools at no added cost, replacing a prior system where schools chose their own materials. And in December 2024, CPS replaced its numeric school ratings with broader accountability dashboards that go beyond test scores, changing how parents can publicly compare schools.

Walsh sits within Chicago's larger context: a dense, walkable city with extensive transit, a growing population after years of decline, and a housing market where rental costs have risen notably while home values remain relatively stable. For families choosing a traditional public school in their assigned neighborhood, Walsh offers an elementary-to-middle setting where students spend years in one building, serving a linguistically and ethnically diverse student body in an accessible, central urban location. The academic profile, especially at the middle grades, warrants direct conversation with school leadership about instructional strategy and support.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 340%

School 40% · District 38% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 453%

School 53% · District 29% · ▲ 24 pts above district

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

Grade 555%

School 55% · District 24% · ▲ 31 pts above district

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

Grade 60%

School 0% · District 23% · ▼ 23 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 77%

School 7% · District 27% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 819%

School 19% · District 23% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 333%

School 33% · District 36% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 441%

School 41% · District 39% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 43% · ▲ 21 pts above district

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

Grade 632%

School 32% · District 45% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 77%

School 7% · District 46% · ▼ 39 pts below district

▼ 44 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

Grade 844%

School 44% · District 48% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Science

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 29% · ▲ 35 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

Grade 844%

School 44% · District 31% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 17 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.