Lara Elem Academy

Lara Elem Academy is an elementary-level community of average-sized scale in Chicago, Illinois, operated by Chicago Public Schools Dist 299, serveing 362 students in grades pre-K through 8.

Lara Elem Academy is one of 622 schools operated by Chicago Public Schools Dist 299, a district that works with 324,396 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Lara Elem Academy lists that nearly all students (93%) are Hispanic; the rest reads as 5% Black. That is meaningfully more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 27%.

On the income-and-resources front, On paper, Lara Elem Academy has 34 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 10.7:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting Lara Elem Academy tighter than the state norm the norm. Roughly 91% of students at Lara Elem Academy qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Cook County runs at roughly 66%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

With demographic context factored in, Lara Elem Academy tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 18.7% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 20.8%.

Around the school, Cook County reports that the typical household earns roughly $83,498 per year, 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. Lara Elem Academy is one of 1406 public schools in Cook County (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students).

The closest other public school is Seward Elem Communication Arts Ac, roughly 0.1 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Lara Elem Academy at 3rd of 9; the average score across the group is 20.1%.

Geographically, the school is in a city-core area.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Lara Elem Academy has declined 18%, going from 442 students in 2018 to 362 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 19.6:1 in 2018 to 10.7:1 today.

Inside the community feed, the feed for Lara Elem Academy typically covers enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.