Cather Elem School

2908 W Washington Blvd
Chicago, IL 60612

www.cps.edu

327 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

Cather Elementary School, located at 2908 W. Washington Blvd. in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, serves as a neighborhood school within the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) district. Historically rooted in the community, the school focuses on providing foundational education to students in grades PK–8. Its curriculum is designed to support the academic and social-emotional development of children in the surrounding area, emphasizing core subjects while participating in district-wide initiatives aimed at closing achievement gaps and providing equitable resources.

The school operates within a tight-knit urban environment, often serving as a central hub for neighborhood engagement. Like many schools in the CPS system, Cather Elementary strives to balance rigorous academic standards with supportive programming, such as after-school activities and community partnerships, to help students navigate the challenges of the urban educational landscape. Parents and stakeholders generally look to Cather as a critical pillar for the youth of East Garfield Park, working to prepare students for success in high school and beyond.

327

Total Students

28.0

Full-Time Teachers

11.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Cather Elem School
Demographic	Student Count
Hispanic	15
Black	310
Two or More	1
American Indian	1

Black
310 (94.8 %)
Hispanic
15 (4.6 %)
Two or More
1 (0.3 %)
American Indian
1 (0.3 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	City of Chicago SD 299
Phone:	(773)534-6780
Website:	http://www.cps.edu
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	327
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	28.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.7
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 29

Kindergarten 29

Grade 1 36

Grade 2 27

Grade 3 34

Grade 4 30

Grade 5 43

Grade 6 33

Grade 7 33

Grade 8 32

Grade 9 1

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for Cather Elem School
Grade	Student Count
Pre-Kindergarten	29
Kindergarten	29
Grade 1	36
Grade 2	27
Grade 3	34
Grade 4	30
Grade 5	43
Grade 6	33
Grade 7	33
Grade 8	32
Grade 9	1

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for Cather Elem School
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	154	47.1%
Male	173	52.9%

Nearby Elementary Schools (Within 10 Miles)