Is Shields Elementary School a good school?

Shields Elementary School ranks 1550 th of 2067 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Shields Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 457 students attended Shields Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Shields Elementary School?

Students at Shields Elementary School are 96% Hispanic, 2% White, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Shields Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Shields Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Shields Middle School High : Thomas Kelly College Preparatory

Shields Elementary School

Summary:

Shields Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 457 students in grades PK-4 in the Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Despite its location in the Chicago Public Schools District 299, Shields Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Illinois elementary schools over the past decade, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Shields Elementary faces significant challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates reaching 51.8% in 2021-2022, well above district and state averages. Academically, Shields students perform well below their peers across the district and state in both English Language Arts and Mathematics, with only 14.2% and 17.3% proficiency rates, respectively, compared to 30.5% and 18.3% for the district. The school's subgroups, including female, male, Hispanic, English Language Learner, Special Education, and Low Socioeconomic Status students, all rank in the bottom half or bottom quarter of their respective peer groups statewide, indicating widespread academic challenges. Interestingly, nearby schools such as Acero Charter - Sandra Cisneros Elementary, Gunsaulus Elementary Scholastic Academy, and Brighton Park Elementary School generally outperform Shields Elementary across academic metrics, despite serving similar student populations.

The significantly higher per-student spending at Shields Elementary compared to the district average suggests that resources alone are not the primary driver of the school's challenges. Examining how these resources are being utilized and allocated, as well as addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism, could provide valuable insights to help the school and district develop a comprehensive plan for improvement. Additionally, implementing more targeted and differentiated instructional strategies to address the unique needs of Shields Elementary's diverse student population may be a key factor in improving student outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

4250 S Rockwell St
Chicago, IL 60632-1216

(773) 535-7285

District: Chicago Public Schools District 299

SchoolDigger Rank:
1550^th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,295

Students who attend Shields Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Shields Middle School
High:	Thomas Kelly College Preparatory

Student/teacher ratio: 12.5

Number of students: 457

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

96.5%

White:

1.8%

African American:

1.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 94.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Shields Elementary School ranks worse than 75% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 208^th among 452 ranked elementary schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.77. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Shields Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Chicago Public Schools District 299. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Shields Elementary School is $21,295, which is the 215^th highest among 452 elementary schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Shields Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Shields Elementary School 1550^th of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Shields Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Chicago Public Schools District 299:

SchoolDigger ranks Chicago Public Schools District 299 688^th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Shields Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Shields Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	30.95	1520^th	2020	24.8%
2004	34.47	1509^th	2030	25.7%
2005	30.44	1585^th	2022	21.6%
2006	37.44	1556^th	2086	25.4%
2007	38.74	1527^th	2095	27.1%
2008	24.91	1703^rd	2092	18.6%
2009	24.24	1731^st	2120	18.3%
2010	23.03	1773^rd	2139	17.1%
2011	26.78	1723^rd	2147	19.7%
2012	26.58	1734^th	2166	19.9%
2013	15.42	1903^rd	2167	12.2%
2014	22.95	1691^st	2093	19.2%
2015	24.03	1592^nd	2052	22.4%
2016	26.67	1516^th	2046	25.9%
2017	20.04	1679^th	2044	17.9%
2018	23.48	1569^th	2037	23.0%
2019	14.66	1887^th	2086	9.5%
2021	14.91	1762^nd	1948	9.5%
2022	15.48	1841^st	2082	11.6%
2023	31.50	1364^th	2077	34.3%
2024	24.77	1550^th	2067	25.0%

See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Shields Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	39.15	443^rd	718	38.3%
2019	30.03	612^th	743	17.6%
2022	25.11	703^rd	768	8.5%
2023	44.58	366^th	788	53.6%
2024	37.47	511^th	826	38.1%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Shields Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	18.89	751^st	763	1.6%
2019	23.80	1013^th	1194	15.2%
2022	24.85	927^th	1113	16.7%
2023	38.87	629^th	1156	45.6%
2024	40.12	646^th	1195	45.9%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Shields Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	39.32	1074^th	1765	39.2%
2019	25.83	1492^nd	1816	17.8%
2021	23.93	1269^th	1514	16.2%
2022	22.81	1479^th	1763	16.1%
2023	51.25	778^th	1808	57.0%
2024	39.68	1074^th	1793	40.1%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Shields Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	24.80	1496^th	1964	23.8%
2019	16.17	1797^th	2019	11.0%
2022	13.91	1809^th	1970	8.2%
2023	34.89	1204^th	1957	38.5%
2024	22.49	1519^th	1942	21.8%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Shields Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	50.33	331^st	907	63.5%
2024	48.09	359^th	886	59.5%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Shields Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	24.16	1523^rd	1972	22.8%
2019	15.01	1833^rd	2019	9.2%
2021	12.64	1648^th	1707	3.5%
2022	18.96	1639^th	1977	17.1%
2023	28.12	1371^st	1984	30.9%
2024	28.06	1364^th	1959	30.4%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Shields Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	34.58	613^th	938	34.6%
2019	20.44	862^nd	955	9.7%
2021	23.20	655^th	742	11.7%
2022	21.52	843^rd	954	11.6%
2023	46.09	468^th	970	51.8%
2024	36.43	602^nd	959	37.2%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, March 14, 2020

It's a good school for kids to learn and nice teachers that help kids advance in school and in life students learn and play. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Shields Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	389	4	2	412	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	807
1989	375	4	5	458	6	n/a	n/a	0	848
1990	359	3	10	581	2	n/a	n/a	0	955
1991	278	5	3	605	0	n/a	n/a	0	891
1992	248	2	2	695	1	n/a	n/a	0	948
1993	264	1	9	852	1	n/a	n/a	0	1127
1994	256	1	5	927	0	n/a	n/a	0	1189
1995	168	5	2	1245	5	n/a	n/a	0	1425
1996	168	5	2	1245	5	n/a	n/a	0	1425
1997	185	8	5	1408	0	n/a	n/a	0	1606
1998	144	3	8	1494	0	n/a	n/a	0	1649
1999	131	1	3	1612	0	n/a	n/a	0	1747
2000	119	8	1	1946	2	n/a	n/a	0	2076
2001	94	9	4	2120	0	n/a	n/a	0	2227
2002	56	6	0	1965	0	n/a	n/a	0	2027
2003	56	6	0	1965	0	n/a	n/a	0	2027
2004	65	5	0	1916	0	n/a	n/a	0	1986
2005	53	4	1	1838	0	n/a	n/a	0	1896
2006	43	3	1	1775	0	n/a	n/a	36	1858
2007	41	12	0	1746	0	n/a	n/a	25	1824
2008	33	19	4	1760	0	n/a	n/a	27	1843
2009	38	26	1	1781	1	n/a	n/a	0	1847
2010	38	26	2	1813	0	n/a	n/a	1	1880
2011	20	17	1	1792	10	2	5	0	1847
2012	16	24	1	1745	9	2	0	0	1797
2013	17	10	0	1099	3	1	1	0	1131
2014	16	8	1	1017	2	1	0	0	1045
2015	19	6	0	1021	1	0	0	0	1047
2016	19	6	0	966	0	0	2	0	993
2017	23	5	0	916	2	0	2	0	948
2018	19	6	2	809	0	0	2	0	838
2019	8	7	0	673	0	0	0	0	688
2020	9	7	0	604	0	0	1	0	621
2021	10	4	4	550	1	0	1	0	570
2022	10	5	3	495	0	0	0	0	513
2023	8	5	2	441	0	0	1	0	457

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Shields Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	807	31.0	26.0	n/a
1989	848	32.0	26.5	n/a
1990	955	37.0	25.8	n/a
1991	891	37.0	24.0	n/a
1992	948	41.0	23.1	n/a
1993	1127	48.0	23.5	n/a
1994	1189	50.5	23.5	n/a
1995	1425	65.0	21.9	n/a
1996	1425	65.0	21.9	n/a
1997	1606	66.0	24.3	n/a
1998	1649	69.0	23.9	n/a
1999	1747	73.0	23.9	n/a
2000	2076	83.0	25.0	n/a
2001	2227	88.0	25.3	n/a
2002	2027	80.0	25.3	99
2003	2027	80.0	25.3	99
2004	1986	75.0	26.5	97.6
2005	1896	93.2	20.3	97.7
2006	1858	97.2	19.1	98.8
2007	1824	80.0	22.8	98.5
2008	1843	82.0	22.5	101.3
2009	1847	87.0	21.2	95.9
2010	1880	90.0	20.8	97
2011	1847	90.0	20.5	98.4
2012	1797	88.0	20.4	98.2
2013	1131	121.9	9.2	99.1
2014	1045	58.5	17.8	99.5
2015	1047	51.0	20.5	99.2
2016	993	51.0	19.4	98.4
2017	948	46.0	20.5	98.7
2018	838	42.3	19.7	98.4
2019	688	41.0	16.7	97.7
2020	621	44.0	14.1	96.9
2021	570	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	513	34.5	14.8	95.5
2023	457	36.5	12.5	94.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Shields Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	807	31.0	26.0	n/a
1989	848	32.0	26.5	n/a
1990	955	37.0	25.8	n/a
1991	891	37.0	24.0	n/a
1992	948	41.0	23.1	n/a
1993	1127	48.0	23.5	n/a
1994	1189	50.5	23.5	n/a
1995	1425	65.0	21.9	n/a
1996	1425	65.0	21.9	n/a
1997	1606	66.0	24.3	n/a
1998	1649	69.0	23.9	n/a
1999	1747	73.0	23.9	n/a
2000	2076	83.0	25.0	n/a
2001	2227	88.0	25.3	n/a
2002	2027	80.0	25.3	99
2003	2027	80.0	25.3	99
2004	1986	75.0	26.5	97.6
2005	1896	93.2	20.3	97.7
2006	1858	97.2	19.1	98.8
2007	1824	80.0	22.8	98.5
2008	1843	82.0	22.5	101.3
2009	1847	87.0	21.2	95.9
2010	1880	90.0	20.8	97
2011	1847	90.0	20.5	98.4
2012	1797	88.0	20.4	98.2
2013	1131	121.9	9.2	99.1
2014	1045	58.5	17.8	99.5
2015	1047	51.0	20.5	99.2
2016	993	51.0	19.4	98.4
2017	948	46.0	20.5	98.7
2018	838	42.3	19.7	98.4
2019	688	41.0	16.7	97.7
2020	621	44.0	14.1	96.9
2021	570	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	513	34.5	14.8	95.5
2023	457	36.5	12.5	94.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

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