Catalyst Charter - Maria ES

Charter School 1,095 Students

Other K - 12th

School Overview

**Catalyst Charter – Maria Elementary School**, located in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood of Chicago, is a public charter school serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade. As part of the Catalyst Schools network, the school operates with a mission centered on providing a rigorous, college-preparatory education within a structured and supportive environment. The school emphasizes character development alongside academic achievement, aiming to equip its students with the skills necessary to succeed in high school and beyond.

The school is known for its focus on a "whole child" approach, integrating community values with academic instruction to help students navigate personal and professional challenges. By fostering a close-knit school culture, Maria Elementary seeks to build strong partnerships with families and the surrounding community. Through its commitment to high standards and personalized attention, Catalyst Maria strives to narrow the achievement gap and ensure that its student body—which primarily serves the local Chicago Lawn population—has equitable access to quality educational opportunities.

1,095

Total Students

94.0

Full-Time Teachers

11.6

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Catalyst Charter - Maria ES
Demographic	Student Count
White	16
Hispanic	607
Black	462
Two or More	9
American Indian	1

Hispanic
607 (55.4 %)
Black
462 (42.2 %)
White
16 (1.5 %)
Two or More
9 (0.8 %)
American Indian
1 (0.1 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Other
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	City of Chicago SD 299
Phone:	(773)993-1770
Website:	http://catalystschools.org
Grade Range:	K - 12th
Total Students:	1,095
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	94.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	11.6
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

Kindergarten 68

Grade 1 64

Grade 2 59

Grade 3 57

Grade 4 62

Grade 5 60

Grade 6 63

Grade 7 60

Grade 8 60

Grade 9 155

Grade 10 137