Darwin Elem School

Darwin Elem School operates as a mid-tier elementary campus in Chicago, Illinois, part of Chicago Public Schools Dist 299. Current enrollment sits at 502 students spanning grades pre-K through 8. Compared to the state average of about 381 students per school, that is 32% larger than typical.

Across the 622 schools in Chicago Public Schools Dist 299 (324,396 students total), Darwin Elem School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, Darwin Elem School logs that Hispanic students make up the majority at 80%. The remainder consists of 12% White, 6% Black. By comparison, Cook County as a whole is about 27% Hispanic, so the school skews visibly more Hispanic than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Darwin Elem School has 37 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.6:1. That tracks the state average closely. Roughly 75% of students at Darwin Elem School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Cook County runs at roughly 66%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Darwin Elem School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 28.3%; this one delivers 29.5%.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for Cook County put median household earnings sit near $83,498, about 43% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Darwin Elem School is one of 1406 public schools in Cook County (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students).

Nearest neighbor: Goethe Elem School, around 0.6 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Darwin Elem School ranks 4th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 30.1%.

Geographically, the school is in a high-density area.

Looking at the recent track record. Darwin Elem School's enrollment has shrank 3% since 2018, when it stood at 516 (now 502). The White share of enrollment edged up from 6% to 12% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 21.7:1 in 2018 to 13.6:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.