Polaris Charter Academy
Charter · K-8
At a glance
The school’s supportive environment was rated ‘Very Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). Instruction was rated ‘Very Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). Adjusted for low-income share, results sit in the lower quarter of CPS schools with published IAR results (adjusted view, disclosed method - ISBE Report Card 2025).
- Cultural fit
- 49% of students were chronically absent in 2025 - above what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).
- Social-emotional fit
- The school’s supportive environment was rated ‘Very Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). 85% of students with IEPs spend most of the school day in general classrooms - above what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).
Computed from published data with its source and year on every clause - a description, never a grade. How the adjusted view works
Basics
- Address
- 620 N SAWYER AVE
- Neighborhood
- Humboldt Park
- Phone
- (773)534-0820
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- https://pcachicago.org
- Climate survey
- Involved families
- Neutral
- Supportive environment
- Very Strong
- Ambitious instruction
- Very Strong
- Effective leaders
- Neutral
- Collaborative teachers
- Neutral
- Safety (student-reported)
- Very Strong
- Overall organization
- Organized
UChicago 5Essentials levels from the spring 2024 survey (CPS Progress Reports SY2425, verified 2026-09-16) - benchmarked categories relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages. A school can answer mostly positively and still rate below the benchmark typical.
Full 2024 report (UChicago)- the survey these levels come from·2026 report- newer survey, new benchmark
5Essentials - the latest survey in detail
Safety, Rigorous Study Habits, and Student-Teacher Trust are rated above the CPS average 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
92 ▲ above the CPS average (56)- Academic Press· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- English Instruction· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Math Instruction· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported72 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
Supportive Environment
99 ▲ above the CPS average (51)- Academic Personalism· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (51)
- Peer Support for Academic Work· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Safety· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
Collaborative Teachers
67 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported69 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported70 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported72 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported60 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported66 ▲ above the CPS average (51)
Effective Leaders
69 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported68 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported85 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported59 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported64 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
60 ▲ above the CPS average (53)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported59 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported61 ▲ above the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported59 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported71 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Course Clarity· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported45 ▬ about the CPS average (47)
- Innovation· teachers-reported67 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported85 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported63 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- School Connectedness· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- School Safety· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported48 ▬ about the CPS average (47)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported50 ▬ about the CPS average (47)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported66 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
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.
Programs (1)
| Program | Entry grades | How seats are offered | Test required | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
General enrollment Charter | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | CPS-published · verified Nov 2024 |
Parent questions & conversation
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