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Very Good

#922 of 3,813 schools in IL

Top 24% in state

Zapata Elem Academy

Elementary School · Chicago Public Schools Dist 299 · Chicago, IL

A Chicago Public Schools Dist 299 elementary school where students score 9 points above what's typical for similar communities.

2728 S Kostner Ave, Chicago, IL 60623

  • Math 8% proficient (2021)
  • Reading 26% proficient (2022)
  • 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.5Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.27 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics6.8Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency7.5% (2021 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency26% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency17% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)8% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected+8.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile54th
Resources & Environment8.2Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.7:1
District spending per student$22,699
Chronic Absenteeism32.9%

Students at Zapata Elem Academy score 17% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 8%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IL average.

Math Proficiency8%(2021 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2021 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency26%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 18 points since 2019, to 26% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
64%
2010
Math
85%
ELA
71%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
70%
2012
Math
52%
ELA
43%
2013
Math
51%
ELA
34%
2014
Math
20%
ELA
34%
2015
Math
37%
ELA
35%
2016
Math
40%
ELA
43%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
43%
2018
Math
44%
ELA
43%
2019
Math
44%
ELA
43%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
12%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
12%
2022
ELA
26%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 46% (multi-year average, 2009-2021) · reading/ELA 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 27 test records from IL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

90.2%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Zapata Elem Academy sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Chicago map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 69Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 63Good Transit
  • Bike 56Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,030/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Chicago), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$44,040

Median home value

$221,400

Median rent

$1,054/mo

College educated

13.7%

Homeownership

38.4%

Poverty rate

24.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 60623; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Corkery Elem SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.9PK–80.3 mi412Compare →
Grace Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition4.3privatePK–80.4 mi92Compare →
Whitney Elem SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.9PK–80.5 mi614Compare →
Cicero West Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.4PK–30.8 mi478Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Chicago Public Schools Dist 299

Schools in district
643
Rank in district
#109 of 621
District spending per student
$22,699NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
20.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Zapata Elem Academy is listed in Chicago Public Schools Dist 299; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Zapata Elem Academy

Zapata Elem Academy is a public elementary school in Chicago, IL, part of Chicago Public Schools Dist 299, serving approximately 520 students in grades Pre-K-8th with a 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.4 out of 10 and ranks #922 of 3,813 schools in IL. State assessment records show 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Zapata Elem Academy

What grades does Zapata Elem Academy serve?

Zapata Elem Academy serves students in grades Pre-K through 8th.

How many students attend Zapata Elem Academy?

Zapata Elem Academy has an enrollment of approximately 520 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Zapata Elem Academy?

The student-teacher ratio at Zapata Elem Academy is 12.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Zapata Elem Academy rank in IL?

Zapata Elem Academy ranks #922 of 3,813 schools in IL.

What is Zapata Elem Academy's MySchoolScout rating?

Zapata Elem Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Zapata Elem Academy?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Zapata Elem Academy has 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Zapata Elem Academy a charter school?

No, Zapata Elem Academy is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Zapata Elem Academy a Title I school?

No, Zapata Elem Academy is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Zapata Elem Academy?

90.2% of students at Zapata Elem Academy qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 8th
Enrollment
520
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
41
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Cook County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.9%
Area population (ZIP 60623)
77,061
Area average commute
32.4 min
Area median age
35.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2021 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2021 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 60623; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2021, multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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