Azuela Elem School, Chicago IL - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Azuela Elem School

Azuela Elem sits in Chicago's lower southwest side as a neighborhood school serving kindergarten through eighth grade. The school is almost entirely Latinx, and reflects the composition of its Chicago Public Schools district, which has returned to prioritizing local, neighborhood-based schooling after decades of choice-driven policy. This shift toward neighborhood focus means families in the Marquette Road area have a clearer pathway to Azuela as a default option.

The academic results show the school faces significant headwinds in math and reading proficiency. In the three elementary grades tested—third through fifth—math proficiency rates range quite low, dropping to particularly challenging levels by fifth grade, while reading proficiency in third grade sits in the lower range though improves somewhat by grades four and five. The middle grades (six through eight) present a different picture. Math proficiency remains low through grade six, but reading proficiency climbs sharply in grades seven and eight, reaching nearly strong levels by eighth grade. Science proficiency at eighth grade is also measurably higher. This uneven profile suggests the school may be making stronger gains in the upper grades, particularly in reading, though math remains a consistent weak spot across all tested grades.

Placed alongside other districts in Cook County, Azuela's overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile among schools countywide. The school does not report a graduation rate, which is expected given it does not serve grades nine through twelve; students in the eight-grade model transition onward to separate high schools, so Azuela's responsibility stops at middle school completion.

The school's enrollment is small to moderate for its grade band, with roughly balanced cohorts across the nine grades it houses. Free or reduced price lunch status and English learner counts were not available in the data, so a parent may want to look into those specifics directly with the school. Special education enrollment data was also not reported. Housing values in the school's zip code are relatively modest compared to the broader Cook County market, and rental rates are also lower, making this a more economically accessible neighborhood.

Chicago Public Schools has recently shifted from numerical school ratings to holistic accountability dashboards, changed its curriculum to a district-wide system called Skyline, and moved away from a school-choice model toward strengthening neighborhood schools. The district is also transitioning from a mayor-appointed board to a fully elected one, with all 21 seats to be elected in fall 2026, giving families a direct voice in district governance. These are long-term structural changes that reshape how resources flow and what the schooling pathway looks like for students in neighborhood schools like Azuela.

For families in this area, Azuela offers local access with clear enrollment, reflecting a district philosophy that emphasizes serving students where they live. The school's strength in upper-grade reading is a genuine asset for the middle years, and the enrollment size is manageable. The persistent gap in math proficiency across all grades and the lower overall proficiency position relative to the county warrant closer conversation with school leadership about instruction, support services, and the school's strategy to close those gaps. A parent considering this school should have clear expectations about the current achievement levels and the school's plan to improve them.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 327%

School 27% · District 38% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 29% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 24% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 612%

School 12% · District 23% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 719%

School 19% · District 27% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

Grade 819%

School 19% · District 23% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 317%

School 17% · District 36% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 431%

School 31% · District 39% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 43% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 632%

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

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

Grade 763%

School 63% · District 46% · ▲ 17 pts above district

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

Grade 867%

School 67% · District 48% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Science

Grade 525%

School 25% · District 29% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 31% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 21 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.