South Loop Elem School

Set in Chicago, Illinois, South Loop Elem School is a sprawling primary school, part of Chicago Public Schools Dist 299. It enrolls 847 students across grades pre-K through 8. Compared to the state average of about 381 students per school, that is 122% above typical.

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

On demographics, South Loop Elem School lists that the largest single group is Black at 34%, but no single group is in the majority. The remainder reads as 31% White, 13% Hispanic, 13% Asian, 9% multiracial. By comparison, Cook County as a whole is about 22% Black, so the school skews noticeably more Black than its surroundings.

On the resource side, The school reports having 51 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 16.6:1. The state averages around 13.9:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. An estimated 28% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is south of Cook County's rate of about 66%.

After controlling for student poverty, South Loop Elem School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 55.4%; this one delivers 65.4%.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Cook County indicate median household income runs about $83,498, about 43% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. In all, Cook County runs 1406 public schools (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students), of which South Loop Elem School is one.

Jones College Prep High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.5 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts South Loop Elem School at 3rd of 9; the average score across the group is 31.9%.

South Loop Elem School operates from a city-core location.

Looking at the recent track record. South Loop Elem School's enrollment has expanded 8% since 2018, when it stood at 785 (now 847). The Black share of enrollment declined from 45% to 34% over that span. Class-load math has tightened: from 20.5:1 in 2018 to 16.6:1 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.