The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Chicago Math & Sci Elem Charter
Chicago Math & Science Elementary Charter serves grades six through twelve, which means the school operates as both a middle and high school under one roof. The school sits on the North Side in Chicago's 60626 zip code on North Clark Street, in a neighborhood with moderate housing values and rising rental costs.
The enrollment is small to mid-sized for its grade band, with the larger cohorts in the ninth and tenth grades. The student body is racially diverse: about equal shares of Black and Hispanic students, with a smaller Asian population and very few white students. Civil-rights data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education, and English learner status are not available.
State assessment results paint a clear picture of academic struggle. The school reports proficiency data only for grades six through eight in the most recent school year. In math, grade six students achieved no proficiency, grade seven achieved proficiency at a low rate, and grade eight at a modest rate. In English language arts, performance tracks slightly higher: grade six at modest proficiency, and grades seven and eight both showing low-to-modest results. In science, eighth grade shows low proficiency. The school achieved near-universal participation rates in these tests, which is a strength. However, the proficiency levels across tested grades sit in the bottom quartile among Cook County school districts. A parent may want to look into the school's teaching approach in math, where results are particularly low, and understand how the school is supporting students toward grade-level mastery.
The school does not report test results for grades three through five, nor does it report graduation data or other outcome metrics such as attendance and chronic absenteeism. Without state assessment data for the earlier grades the school serves, or high school completion outcomes, a full academic picture is unavailable.
The school is a charter school, which means it operates under a contract with the district but with some operational independence. It is not a selective enrollment school. Program details such as course offerings, AP availability, dual-credit pathways, or career tracks are not documented in the available data.
Staff count, teacher qualifications, discipline records, and student support services are not provided. Housing context shows moderate values in the broader zip code, with rental costs rising modestly year-over-year. Chicago itself is a major, walkable city with extensive transit, and the North Clark location is accessible to public transportation and neighborhood amenities.
The district serving this school, Chicago Public Schools, recently shifted its accountability system away from numeric ratings toward holistic school dashboards and adopted a strategic priority to strengthen neighborhood schools rather than market-choice enrollment. A new fully elected school board will take office in 2027, giving parents direct voting power on district policy. These shifts represent longer-term changes in how the district functions.
Parents considering this school should focus on understanding its math instructional model and the extent to which early-grade results (missing from public data) prepare students for the proficiency gaps evident in grades six through eight. A conversation with school leadership about remediation strategies and student support would help clarify whether the school has a plan to close these gaps or whether this pattern reflects the school's operating model.
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