Turner-Drew Elem Language Academy

Turner-Drew Elem Language Academy is one of the intimate primary schools in Chicago, Illinois, overseen by Chicago Public Schools Dist 299, with 194 students on its rolls from grades K through 8. Enrollment runs roughly 49% below the state mean of about 381.

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

On demographics, Turner-Drew Elem Language Academy reports that nearly all students (99%) are Black. The wider county runs roughly 22% Black, putting the school's mix meaningfully more Black than the area baseline.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Turner-Drew Elem Language Academy has 15 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.9:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting Turner-Drew Elem Language Academy tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 78% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Cook County runs at roughly 66%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat above the surrounding baseline.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Turner-Drew Elem Language Academy tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 26.6% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 39.1%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Cook County) reports that median household earnings sit near $83,498, roughly 43% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. Turner-Drew Elem Language Academy is one of 1406 public schools in Cook County (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students).

Nearest neighbor: Gillespie Elem School, around 0.4 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Turner-Drew Elem Language Academy. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Turner-Drew Elem Language Academy ranks 2nd on composite proficiency, ahead of the local average of 25.6%.

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

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 22%: 248 students in 2018 compared to 194 in 2025. Class-load math has fell: from 19.0:1 in 2018 to 12.9:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.