Stephen Decatur Classical Elementary School
CPS selective (SEES) · 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). Family involvement was rated ‘Very Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). In 2024–25, 491 applications were recorded for 25 offers (GoCPS, 2024–25 school year - the most recent seat data SchoolNav has).
- Cultural fit
- Family involvement was rated ‘Very Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). 10% of students were chronically absent in 2025 - below what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).
- Academic performance
- 96% of students met or exceeded standards on the 2025 IAR - in the top 10% of CPS elementary schools with published results (ISBE Report Card 2025). Adjusted for low-income share, results sit in the top 10% of CPS schools with published IAR results (adjusted view, disclosed method - ISBE Report Card 2025).
- Academic fit
- Instruction was rated ‘Very Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). On the 5Essentials survey, school leadership was rated ‘Very Strong’ and teacher collaboration was rated ‘Very Strong’ (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages).
- 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). 100% 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
- 7030 N SACRAMENTO AVE
- Neighborhood
- West Ridge
- Phone
- (773)534-2200
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Climate survey
- Involved families
- Very Strong
- Supportive environment
- Very Strong
- Ambitious instruction
- Very Strong
- Effective leaders
- Very Strong
- Collaborative teachers
- Very Strong
- Safety (student-reported)
- Very Strong
- Overall organization
- Well 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
Parent Involvement in School, Program Coherence, and Reflective Dialogue 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
82 ▲ above the CPS average (56)- Academic Press· students-reported73 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- English Instruction· students-reported93 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Math Instruction· students-reported77 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported83 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
Supportive Environment
72 ▲ above the CPS average (51)- Academic Personalism· students-reported60 ▲ above the CPS average (51)
- Peer Support for Academic Work· students-reported69 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Safety· students-reported85 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported73 ▲ above the CPS average (50)
Collaborative Teachers
86 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported82 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported89 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported89 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported77 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported92 ▲ above the CPS average (51)
Effective Leaders
91 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported86 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported93 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported85 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
91 ▲ above the CPS average (53)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported88 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported97 ▲ above the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported88 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported62 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported86 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Course Clarity· students-reported74 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported83 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported69 ▲ above the CPS average (47)
- Innovation· teachers-reported88 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported79 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported70 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported99 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported76 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- School Connectedness· students-reported78 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- School Safety· students-reported90 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported78 ▲ above the CPS average (47)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported74 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported89 ▲ above the CPS average (47)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported74 ▲ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Classical (K) Selective enrollment | K | Screening | Yes | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
Cutoff history
What it took to receive an initial offer here in each cycle CPS has published - by tier for Selective Enrollment, and on the citywide points line for points-based Choice programs. History is context - it can’t predict a future cutoff.
| Cycle | Rank min | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 241.3 | 157.5 | 182.5 | 215 | 233.8 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2025-26 | 236.3 | 153.8 | 215 | 213.8 | 228.8 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2024-25 | 241.3 | 168.8 | 203.8 | 203.8 | 218.8 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
Minimum point totals from CPS’s published initial offers - waitlist movement can lower what it actually took, and cutoffs move year to year. Within the current-test cycles above, a tier’s minimum has shifted by as much as 32.5 points from one cycle to the next - treat any single year as a snapshot, not a target.
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.