Till Elem Math & Science Academy, Chicago IL

Original Research by School Decision on Till Elem Math & Science Academy

Till Elementary Math & Science Academy serves pre-K through eighth grade on the South Side of Chicago, in the Kenwood neighborhood near the University of Chicago. It is a regular public school operated by Chicago Public Schools, drawing its student body almost entirely from the surrounding community.

The school's enrollment is small, centered around early and middle grades with notably larger numbers in pre-K and kindergarten. Student composition is overwhelmingly Black, with a tiny presence of Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. Free-and-reduced-price-lunch eligibility data was not available in the reported figures, so a parent should look into that directly with the school.

The school's name suggests a focus on math and science, though the stated curriculum and program offerings were not included in the available data. On state assessments in 2024-25, Till's math and English language arts proficiency rates are substantially low across all tested grades. In math, proficiency runs from near zero in grade three to single digits through grade eight. English language arts shows a similar pattern, with one exception: sixth grade scored somewhat higher in ELA. Science proficiency, tested in grades five and eight, is also low. Participation rates are generally solid, suggesting students are taking the tests; the assessment cut scores changed this year, which can affect comparability to prior years, so a parent may want to ask the school whether trends look different when accounting for that shift. Across the county's districts, Till's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. These results indicate that most students are not meeting grade-level standards and suggest the school is working with significant academic headwinds.

The South Side neighborhood where Till sits has moderate housing values and rents for Cook County. Median home prices are modest, and monthly rents are accessible but rising; affordability ratios show housing is manageable relative to local incomes, though rent as a share of household income is a consideration. The broader Chicago area has resumed population growth after years of decline, with new housing approvals climbing. The city is walkable, well-served by public transit, and anchored by major civic institutions including the Chicago Park District and the public library system.

Chicago Public Schools is undergoing significant governance and curriculum changes. The district is shifting its strategic focus toward strengthening neighborhood schools rather than the school-choice model that has long defined the system, and it has phased in a new universal curriculum called Skyline across all subjects. School accountability metrics also changed in late 2024, moving away from numeric ratings to broader dashboards. Additionally, the school board itself is in transition: the first elected members took office in 2024, and a fully elected 21-member board will be in place after November 2026, giving families a direct vote on district direction going forward.

A parent considering Till should recognize that academic proficiency is currently low across the board, and should have direct conversations with school leadership about what interventions are in place, what the trend looks like year to year, and how the school is using the Skyline curriculum and other resources to move the needle. The neighborhood and housing market are stable and accessible, and the school sits within an engaged community near the university. But academic performance is the central question, and it requires a careful discussion with the school about its plan and progress.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 30%

School 0% · District 38% · ▼ 38 pts below district

▼ 46 pts below state median · ▼ 39 pts below county median

Grade 48%

School 8% · District 29% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 56%

School 6% · District 24% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 67%

School 7% · District 23% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 74%

School 4% · District 27% · ▼ 23 pts below district

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

Grade 83%

School 3% · District 23% · ▼ 20 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 34%

School 4% · District 36% · ▼ 32 pts below district

▼ 40 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Grade 416%

School 16% · District 39% · ▼ 23 pts below district

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

Grade 56%

School 6% · District 43% · ▼ 37 pts below district

▼ 46 pts below state median · ▼ 40 pts below county median

Grade 619%

School 19% · District 45% · ▼ 26 pts below district

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

Grade 74%

School 4% · District 46% · ▼ 42 pts below district

▼ 47 pts below state median · ▼ 40 pts below county median

Grade 815%

School 15% · District 48% · ▼ 32 pts below district

▼ 38 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Science

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 29% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 810%

School 10% · District 31% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below 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.