Everett McKinley Dirksen Elementary School
CPS choice · PK,K-8
At a glance
96% of teachers stayed from one year to the next - above what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2026). 49% of students met or exceeded standards on the 2026 IAR - in the top 20% of CPS elementary schools with published results. ISBE did not publish math for 39 schools where fewer than 10 students met the standard, so they are not in this comparison.
- Cultural fit
- 30% of students were chronically absent in 2026 - about what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2026).
- Academic performance
- 49% of students met or exceeded standards on the 2026 IAR - in the top 20% of CPS elementary schools with published results (ISBE Report Card 2026). ISBE did not publish math for 39 schools where fewer than 10 students met the standard, so they are not in this comparison.
- Social-emotional fit
- 68% of students with IEPs spend most of the school day in general classrooms - about what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2026). There is 1 school counselor per 610 students.
Computed from published data with its source and year on every clause - a description, never a grade.
Basics
CPS-published · verified Nov 2024
- Address
- 8601 W FOSTER AVE
- Neighborhood
- O'Hare
- Phone
- (773)534-1090
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- http://dirksen.cps.edu
- Before and after care
Supplemental care not found.
SchoolNav searched the school’s website and the main care providers’ pages in Sep 2026 and found no before or after care. Some programs are never posted online, so ask the school office or on a tour.
- Arts and creative
Plays/Acting, Choir/Chorus, Drama
From the school’s CPS profile, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.
- Sports
Football, Girls' Basketball, Girls' Volleyball, Chess, Boys' Basketball, Boys' Soccer, Zumba, Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball
From the school’s CPS profile, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.
- Climate survey
- Unknown - no CPS school ID on record
5Essentials - the latest survey in detail
Peer Support for Academic Work, Safety, and Student Peer Relationships are rated above the CPS average; Academic Press, Academic Personalism, and Classroom Rigor are rated below it this year.
From the 2026 CPS 5Essentials survey (25-26). Scores are benchmarked 1–99 (not percentages) - higher is stronger, and each is shown against the CPS average that same year. This is a newer survey on a different benchmark than the component levels above, so the two aren’t directly comparable.
Show all measures ▸Hide measures ▾
Ambitious Instruction
50 ▼ below the CPS average (56)- Academic Press· students-reported43 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- English Instruction· students-reported55 ▼ below the CPS average (59)
- Math Instruction· students-reported51 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reportednot enough responses
Supportive Environment
53 ▬ about the CPS average (51)- Academic Personalism· students-reported42 ▼ below the CPS average (51)
- Peer Support for Academic Work· students-reported64 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Safety· students-reported56 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported51 ▬ about the CPS average (50)
Collaborative Teachers
- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- School Commitment· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reportednot enough responses
Effective Leaders
- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Program Coherence· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reportednot enough responses
Involved Families
- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reportednot enough responses
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported59 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported45 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- Course Clarity· students-reported50 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported61 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported50 ▬ about the CPS average (47)
- Innovation· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported64 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported51 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported54 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- School Connectedness· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- School Safety· students-reported59 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported61 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reportednot enough responses
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reportednot enough responses
UChicago Consortium — the 2026 cycle (school year 25-26) is re-benchmarked to spring 2024 (SY25+); it is NOT level-comparable to the spring-2013-benchmarked component levels shown elsewhere.
Pre-K
CPS-published· verified Sep 2026This school has Pre-K. Families apply for Pre-K through Chicago Early Learning, not GoCPS.
Half-day Pre-K · for children age 3 and age 4
Seats: full, with a waitlist, as of Sep 24, 2026.
Full-day Pre-K · for children age 4
Seats: seats available, as of Sep 24, 2026.
- Quality rating
- ExceleRate Silver Circle of Quality
Apply through Chicago Early Learning · How Pre-K applications work
Programs (1)
| Program | Entry grades | How seats are offered | Test required | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Open Enrollment (general program, seats by lottery) Open enrollment | K–8 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Local School Council
CPS-published· verified Oct 2026The Local School Council is a group of parents, staff, and neighbors who help run this school. They vote on the budget and the school plan. Their meetings are open to the public, so you can go and listen.
Next meetings
- Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 3:30 PM
- Wednesday, December 16, 2026 at 3:30 PM
- Wednesday, January 20, 2027 at 3:30 PM
CPS lists the date and time. Ask the school office where the meeting will be held.
Members for 2026 to 2028
- Timothy F Griffin · Principal
- Vesselka Petrova · Parent
- Karyn Arnstadt · Parent
- Malika Boughrira · Parent
- Dulo Sefovic · Parent
- Agnes Laskowska · Parent
- Hayat Boulaid · Community member
- James Summers · Community member
- Jill S Casey · Teacher
- Lisa Breen · Teacher
- Nataliia Stetsenko · School staff (non-teaching)
- Jalalle Markos · Student
CPS keeps the official list of council meetings and members. See the CPS council list.
Parent questions & conversation
What parents and people who know this school are asking, answering, and talking about - their own words, experiences and opinions rather than verified facts.
Parent notes on this school are visible to signed-in Chicago families. Sign in to read and ask.
SchoolNav is not affiliated with CPS. Details change - each fact above shows when it was last verified. Application decisions should always be confirmed in GoCPS.