Zapata Elem Academy

Set in Chicago, Illinois, Zapata Elem Academy is a mid-sized elementary campus, part of Chicago Public Schools Dist 299. It teaches 524 students across grades pre-K through 8. That puts it 38% above the typical public school in Illinois, which averages around 381 students.

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

In terms of who attends, Zapata Elem Academy logs that the student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic (97%). The remainder is composed of 2% White. The wider county runs roughly 27% Hispanic, putting the school's mix considerably more Hispanic than the area baseline.

Looking at school resources, Zapata Elem Academy records 46 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 11.4:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting Zapata Elem Academy tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 91% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Cook County (around 66%), the school's rate is somewhat above typical.

After controlling for student poverty, Zapata Elem Academy tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 18.9% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 28.7%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Cook County) reports that median household income runs about $83,498, 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Cook County runs 1406 public schools (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students), of which Zapata Elem Academy is one.

Corkery Elem School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.3 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Zapata Elem Academy ranks 1st on composite proficiency, above the local average of 19.1%.

Zapata Elem Academy operates from a high-density location.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Zapata Elem Academy has contracted 33%, going from 779 students in 2018 to 524 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 20.2:1 in 2018 to 11.4:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, members of the Zapata Elem Academy community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.