Orozco Elem Fine Arts & Sciences vs Pickard Elem School

Orozco Elem Fine Arts & Sciences outranks Pickard Elem School decisively in Illinois's statewide standings: Orozco sits at #47 of 3,813 schools while Pickard ranks #216 of 3,813 — a gap of 169 positions. That distance is reflected in the overall ratings, where Orozco scores 9.4/10 against Pickard's 8.6/10. Both schools are strong performers in absolute terms, but families specifically seeking top-decile performance in a Chicago elementary will find Orozco the sharper choice among these two neighbors separated by just 0.6 miles.

The academic edge belongs to Orozco across every measured dimension. Orozco's academic score of 8.8/10 exceeds Pickard's 7.9/10 by nearly a full point, and the growth score gap is even wider: Orozco posts a 9.6/10 versus Pickard's 8.8/10 — a 0.8-point difference indicating that students at Orozco are advancing faster relative to their starting points. Academic score and growth score together capture both proficiency floor and year-over-year momentum, and Orozco leads on both fronts.

The schools differ more meaningfully on economic demographics than on size or staffing. Enrollment is nearly identical — Pickard Elem School at 293 students versus Orozco Elem Fine Arts & Sciences at 268 — and student-teacher ratios are close at 10.9:1 and 11.2:1 respectively. The free and reduced-price lunch rate diverges more sharply: Pickard Elem School serves 93% FRL-eligible students compared to 72% at Orozco Elem Fine Arts & Sciences. Both schools operate under significant economic need, but Pickard's population skews higher on that measure, which is relevant context for understanding resource allocation and peer demographics.

Both Pickard Elem School and Orozco Elem Fine Arts & Sciences serve grades PK–08, so families need not worry about grade-span gaps or school transitions with either choice. Orozco's name signals a fine arts and sciences program identity, which distinguishes it programmatically from Pickard's general elementary curriculum — a concrete differentiator for families whose children have a specific academic or artistic focus.