Ward J Elem School

www.cps.edu

515 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

**Ward J. Elementary School**, located at 2701 S. Shields Ave in Chicago’s Armour Square neighborhood, serves as a neighborhood hub within the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system. Positioned in a vibrant area near Chinatown, the school plays a significant role in providing foundational education to a diverse student body. It focuses on core academic development, typically offering a curriculum that aligns with CPS standards while working to foster a supportive learning environment for its local community.

The school is well-regarded for its accessibility to families living in the surrounding Armour Square and Bridgeport-area communities. Like many schools in the district, Ward J. Elementary emphasizes holistic student growth, balancing traditional classroom instruction with social-emotional learning initiatives. By maintaining its presence in this historic section of Chicago, the school continues to be a staple for neighborhood families looking to engage with the city’s educational resources in a smaller, community-focused setting.

515

Total Students

32.5

Full-Time Teachers

15.8

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Ward J Elem School
Demographic	Student Count
White	27
Hispanic	49
Black	36
Asian	399
Two or More	3
American Indian	1

Asian
399 (77.5 %)
Hispanic
49 (9.5 %)
Black
36 (7.0 %)
White
27 (5.2 %)
Two or More
3 (0.6 %)
American Indian
1 (0.2 %)

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)534-9050
Website:	http://www.cps.edu
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	515
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	32.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	15.8
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 40

Kindergarten 53

Grade 1 46

Grade 2 42

Grade 3 55

Grade 4 51

Grade 5 61

Grade 6 59

Grade 7 52

Grade 8 56

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for Ward J Elem School
Grade	Student Count
Pre-Kindergarten	40
Kindergarten	53
Grade 1	46
Grade 2	42
Grade 3	55
Grade 4	51
Grade 5	61
Grade 6	59
Grade 7	52
Grade 8	56

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for Ward J Elem School
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	248	48.2%
Male	267	51.8%

Nearby Elementary Schools (Within 10 Miles)