Is Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy a good school?

Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy ranks 1198 th of 2067 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 744 students attended Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy?

Students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy are 98% Hispanic, 1% White.

What schools do graduates of Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy attend?

Students who attend Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy usually go on to attend: High : Thomas Kelly College Preparatory

Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Summary:

Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy is a public elementary school serving 744 students in grades PK-8 in Chicago, Illinois, which is part of the Chicago Public Schools District 299.

Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy consistently outperforms the district and state in academic proficiency, with 42.1% of students proficient or better in ELA, 23.4% in math, and 50.3% in science, compared to the district's 30.5%, 18.3%, and 36.8%, respectively. The school's strong performance is particularly notable for its Hispanic and English Language Learner (ELL) student populations, which rank in the top half of Illinois elementary schools. Additionally, the school has seen a steady decline in chronic absenteeism, from 21.2% in 2021-2022 to 15.8% in 2023-2024.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Acero Charter-Brighton Park Elementary School and Davis N Elementary School, Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy outperforms them in academic proficiency, particularly in ELA and science. Despite having a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, the school has been able to achieve these strong results, likely due to effective strategies and increased funding, which has risen from $11,102 per student in 2019-2020 to $16,664 in 2022-2023.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

4520 S Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60632-2904

(773) 535-4050

District: Chicago Public Schools District 299

SchoolDigger Rank:
1198^th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,053

Students who attend Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy usually attend:

High:

Thomas Kelly College Preparatory

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 744

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

97.6%

White:

1.1%

African American:

0.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 91.5%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy ranks worse than 58% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 116^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 38.12. (See more...)

Compare Details Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy ranks better than 69.5% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.05. (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 Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy 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 Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy is $18,053. 358 elementary schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy 1198^th of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy 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:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy 416^th of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle 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.)

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Rank History for Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	19.60	1674^th	2020	17.1%
2004	27.63	1612^th	2030	20.6%
2005	21.48	1711^th	2022	15.4%
2006	24.34	1736^th	2086	16.8%
2007	15.62	1857^th	2095	11.4%
2008	20.73	1765^th	2092	15.6%
2009	27.84	1676^th	2120	20.9%
2010	23.38	1764^th	2139	17.5%
2011	31.99	1609^th	2147	25.1%
2012	45.23	1400^th	2166	35.4%
2013	32.98	1535^th	2167	29.2%
2014	33.99	1446^th	2093	30.9%
2015	41.45	1100^th	2052	46.4%
2016	45.48	1047^th	2046	48.8%
2017	48.31	992^nd	2044	51.5%
2018	49.28	960^th	2037	52.9%
2019	61.12	753^rd	2086	63.9%
2021	30.43	1279^th	1948	34.3%
2022	36.32	1245^th	2082	40.2%
2023	46.63	1020^th	2077	50.9%
2024	38.12	1198^th	2067	42.0%

See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	59.67	186^th	718	74.1%
2019	71.48	92^nd	743	87.6%
2021	33.38	399^th	537	25.7%
2022	39.50	443^rd	768	42.3%
2023	60.09	195^th	788	75.3%
2024	49.52	314^th	826	62.0%

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

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	27.28	582^nd	763	23.7%
2019	26.58	940^th	1194	21.3%
2021	23.37	538^th	640	15.9%
2022	27.63	839^th	1113	24.6%
2023	34.84	691^st	1156	40.2%
2024	33.64	762^nd	1195	36.2%

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

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	71.85	305^th	1765	82.7%
2019	83.06	133^rd	1816	92.7%
2021	50.62	609^th	1514	59.8%
2022	56.15	637^th	1763	63.9%
2023	69.93	344^th	1808	81.0%
2024	56.72	636^th	1793	64.5%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	49.14	938^th	1964	52.2%
2019	64.33	659^th	2019	67.4%
2021	27.09	1202^nd	1680	28.5%
2022	36.41	1170^th	1970	40.6%
2023	40.18	1098^th	1957	43.9%
2024	43.18	1010^th	1942	48.0%

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

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	40.49	454^th	907	49.9%
2024	27.04	687^th	886	22.5%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	49.12	913^th	1972	53.7%
2019	57.42	774^th	2019	61.7%
2021	30.22	1136^th	1707	33.5%
2022	36.71	1163^rd	1977	41.2%
2023	52.65	845^th	1984	57.4%
2024	33.88	1217^th	1959	37.9%

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

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	66.09	221^st	938	76.4%
2019	78.55	101^st	955	89.4%
2021	44.91	348^th	742	53.1%
2022	48.86	421^st	954	55.9%
2023	62.69	258^th	970	73.4%
2024	52.42	359^th	959	62.6%

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

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

Rank History for Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	48.80	685^th	1185	42.2%
2004	47.89	714^th	1204	40.7%
2005	25.45	926^th	1209	23.4%
2006	48.42	772^nd	1272	39.3%
2007	39.98	891^st	1287	30.8%
2008	40.07	877^th	1293	32.2%
2009	34.64	969^th	1318	26.5%
2010	39.37	933^rd	1327	29.7%
2011	54.53	713^th	1344	46.9%
2012	56.80	663^rd	1365	51.4%
2013	55.41	616^th	1367	54.9%
2014	48.44	711^th	1322	46.2%
2015	44.25	634^th	1302	51.3%
2016	54.14	527^th	1294	59.3%
2017	47.33	630^th	1293	51.3%
2018	58.81	477^th	1293	63.1%
2019	61.17	470^th	1356	65.3%
2021	59.67	388^th	1241	68.7%
2022	52.72	540^th	1369	60.6%
2023	63.53	401^st	1367	70.7%
2024	63.05	416^th	1363	69.5%

See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	53.24	65^th	285	77.2%
2019	39.63	215^th	339	36.6%
2021	35.14	206^th	277	25.6%
2022	60.89	76^th	454	83.3%
2023	65.47	70^th	480	85.4%
2024	74.52	46^th	486	90.5%

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

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	24.74	551^st	602	8.5%
2019	30.45	567^th	792	28.4%
2021	25.59	501^st	548	8.6%
2022	30.42	586^th	781	25.0%
2023	43.91	346^th	805	57.0%
2024	47.49	313^th	802	61.0%

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

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	80.36	130^th	1161	88.8%
2019	80.30	140^th	1217	88.5%
2021	80.77	89^th	1019	91.3%
2022	75.66	164^th	1221	86.6%
2023	82.49	112^th	1234	90.9%
2024	79.41	146^th	1219	88.0%

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

Rank History for middle school Female students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	59.07	453^rd	1226	63.1%
2019	63.85	413^th	1276	67.6%
2021	64.04	303^rd	1017	70.2%
2022	54.43	478^th	1286	62.8%
2023	57.64	454^th	1275	64.4%
2024	62.56	390^th	1251	68.8%

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

Rank History for middle school Disabled students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	31.68	458^th	674	32.0%
2024	49.92	225^th	639	64.8%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	57.74	449^th	1223	63.3%
2019	59.00	469^th	1296	63.8%
2021	49.60	442^nd	1048	57.8%
2022	50.25	548^th	1286	57.4%
2023	67.13	328^th	1292	74.6%
2024	61.92	396^th	1264	68.7%

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

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	71.27	120^th	590	79.7%
2019	71.78	125^th	639	80.4%
2021	74.14	74^th	517	85.7%
2022	64.96	159^th	662	76.0%
2023	75.22	109^th	661	83.5%
2024	72.41	127^th	643	80.2%

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

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Enrollment information for Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2002	37	1	3	927	0	n/a	n/a	0	968
2003	37	1	3	927	0	n/a	n/a	0	968
2004	20	1	1	927	2	n/a	n/a	0	951
2005	25	2	0	922	0	n/a	n/a	0	949
2006	14	0	0	1035	0	n/a	n/a	26	1075
2007	21	3	2	979	1	n/a	n/a	26	1032
2008	29	0	2	860	2	n/a	n/a	26	919
2009	26	2	0	988	1	n/a	n/a	0	1017
2010	33	5	1	1061	1	n/a	n/a	0	1101
2011	14	3	0	997	2	0	2	0	1018
2012	16	6	0	1003	3	3	2	0	1033
2013	11	1	1	1013	2	0	3	0	1031
2014	10	6	2	1047	2	0	6	0	1073
2015	13	6	2	1044	2	0	6	0	1073
2016	14	7	2	1133	3	0	6	0	1165
2017	15	6	2	1123	4	0	4	0	1154
2018	14	5	3	1035	3	0	5	0	1065
2019	9	5	2	961	2	0	2	0	981
2020	10	2	3	887	2	0	1	0	905
2021	5	3	3	826	1	0	0	0	838
2022	5	5	3	781	2	0	0	0	796
2023	8	5	2	726	1	0	2	0	744

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 Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	968	32.0	30.3	90.3
2003	968	32.0	30.3	90.3
2004	951	36.5	26.1	96.4
2005	949	42.6	22.3	97.3
2006	1075	50.8	21.2	99
2007	1032	49.0	21.1	101.1
2008	919	46.0	20.0	102.6
2009	1017	45.0	22.6	96
2010	1101	52.0	21.1	99.7
2011	1018	49.0	20.7	98
2012	1033	50.0	20.6	98.6
2013	1031	73.1	14.0	98.3
2014	1073	52.0	20.6	97.8
2015	1073	51.0	21.0	98.4
2016	1165	52.0	22.4	96.2
2017	1154	53.9	21.3	94.8
2018	1065	52.2	20.3	95.5
2019	981	55.0	17.8	93.9
2020	905	51.5	17.5	93.3
2021	838	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	796	54.0	14.7	91.1
2023	744	52.0	14.3	91.5

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 Columbia Explorers Elementary Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	968	32.0	30.3	90.3
2003	968	32.0	30.3	90.3
2004	951	36.5	26.1	96.4
2005	949	42.6	22.3	97.3
2006	1075	50.8	21.2	99
2007	1032	49.0	21.1	101.1
2008	919	46.0	20.0	102.6
2009	1017	45.0	22.6	96
2010	1101	52.0	21.1	99.7
2011	1018	49.0	20.7	98
2012	1033	50.0	20.6	98.6
2013	1031	73.1	14.0	98.3
2014	1073	52.0	20.6	97.8
2015	1073	51.0	21.0	98.4
2016	1165	52.0	22.4	96.2
2017	1154	53.9	21.3	94.8
2018	1065	52.2	20.3	95.5
2019	981	55.0	17.8	93.9
2020	905	51.5	17.5	93.3
2021	838	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	796	54.0	14.7	91.1
2023	744	52.0	14.3	91.5

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.

Immunization Rates