The top reported proficiency rate is 19% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mae Jemison School
Mae Jemison School is a public elementary school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Hazel Crest, located in the south suburbs of Chicago. The school sits in a dense residential area of single-family and townhouse neighborhoods, with modest housing stock typical of mid-20th-century suburban development. The broader community is anchored by Advocate South Suburban Hospital and the Palmer Lake Corporate Business Park, with health care and finance as leading employment sectors. Transit access is available via the Metra Electric Line station roughly a mile away.
The school enrolls roughly the same as typical early-grade buildings for its area. Most students are Black, with a smaller Hispanic population and very few students from other racial groups. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and on students with disabilities or English-language learner status were not available.
The academic picture is straightforward and deserves attention from a family considering this school. State testing results from the most recent year show proficiency rates well below what would be typical. In third-grade math, about a fifth of students achieved proficiency. Fourth-grade English language arts performance was somewhat stronger at roughly a third proficient, but fourth-grade math dropped to roughly a fifth proficient, and fifth-grade results in both subjects fell to single digits. Fifth-grade science showed zero students proficient. These patterns suggest serious academic challenges across the grades tested, with performance particularly weak in math and science. Science testing also began this year with a new assessment, so prior-year data is not available for comparison; a parent may want to look into further with the school how it is addressing science instruction. Within the Cook County comparison group of school districts, Mae Jemison's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile.
The school serves grades PK through 5, so it does not have high school students and therefore no graduation rate. Information on discipline, chronic absenteeism, course offerings, or staffing levels was not available.
Mae Jemison is part of Prairie-Hills ESD 144, a district that recently established a STEAM-themed elementary academy in nearby Markham. This gives families in the district a curriculum choice if they are interested in a science, technology, engineering, arts, and math focus; Mae Jemison itself does not have a specialized theme.
The housing market in Hazel Crest is moderate in cost relative to the broader Chicago area and Cook County, with median home values and rental rates reflecting the blue-collar to middle-class character of the area. Homes are owner-occupied more often than not, and the village is focusing on infill development and rehabilitation of long-vacant housing rather than new construction.
For a parent evaluating this school, the central question is how the building is responding to the low proficiency results, particularly in math. Understanding the school's plan for academic improvement, the composition and experience of its teaching staff, and the support available to students working below grade level would be essential conversations to have with administration. The test results are the clearest available data, and they indicate this is a school where students are currently struggling to meet grade-level standards across multiple subjects.
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