- Enrollment
- 4,604
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chicago, IL
Polaris Elem Charter Academy
Federal NCES profile for Polaris Elem Charter Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 170993005919Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Polaris Elem Charter Academy earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Illinois schools.
- #18 of 102
- elementary schools in Chicago · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 343
- students enrolled
Polaris Elem Charter Academy has class sizes larger than 91% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Polaris Elem Charter Academy ranks #18 of 102 elementary schools in Chicago, IL.
School address
District: City of Chicago Sd 299 · Illinois
NCES ID 170993005919 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-12 students YoY
Polaris Elem Charter Academy held near 336 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-12 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 19.0 → 16.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-12 students YoY 170993005919 · Chicago, IL Elementary · SMALL · CHARTER
343 enr · 18.1:1 · RII 41
Nearest enrollment peer: Lane Technical High School (4,604 students)
Polaris Elem Charter Academy held near 336 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-12 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 19.0 → 16.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Polaris Elem Charter Academy in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Lane Technical
Lane Technical High School
4,604 students
- Taft High Scho
Taft High School
4,487 students
- Curie Metropol
Curie Metropolitan High School
3,099 students
- Kenwood Academ
Kenwood Academy High School
2,268 students
- Young Magnet H
Young Magnet High School
2,223 students
- This school 343
Polaris Elem Charter Academy
343 students
What this shows Polaris Elem Charter Academy reports 343 students on the CCD universe file.
How Polaris Elem Charter Academy compares
Polaris Elem Charter Academy held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.1:1 | ▲ 29% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 343 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
343
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 91% in Illinois - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
10.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$22,699
per pupil, district-wide
- above Illinois avg of $18,196
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 343 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 88.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.2%
White 1.2%
Largest group: African American at 88.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.4, Polaris Elem Charter Academy is less mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
District finance for City of Chicago Sd 299 reports $22,699 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Polaris Elem Charter Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lane Technical High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Taft High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Curie Metropolitan High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kenwood Academy High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Young Magnet High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Polaris Elem Charter Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,487
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 3,099
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,268
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,223
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar elementary schools in Chicago
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mount Greenwood Elem School
Standard public school
1,182 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Eberhart Elem School
Standard public school
1,011 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Kipp One Academy
Standard public school
996 students 10.9:1 students per teacher
Lyon Elem School
Standard public school
988 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Kipp Chicago Chrtrs Bloom Campus
Standard public school
921 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Bell Elem School
Standard public school
902 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~343 students)
Frequently asked questions about Polaris Elem Charter Academy
How many students attend Polaris Elem Charter Academy?
Polaris Elem Charter Academy has 343 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chicago, IL. CCD year-over-year: 348 (2022-23) → 336 (2023-24), nearly flat (-12).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Polaris Elem Charter Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Polaris Elem Charter Academy is 18.1:1, which is 29% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Polaris Elem Charter Academy?
The largest demographic group at Polaris Elem Charter Academy is African American at 88.6% of enrollment, in Chicago, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Polaris Elem Charter Academy?
Polaris Elem Charter Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Polaris Elem Charter Academy rank among elementary schools in Chicago?
By Resource Investment Index, Polaris Elem Charter Academy ranks #18 of 102 elementary schools in Chicago, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Chicago on the city page.
What other schools are in City of Chicago Sd 299?
Besides Polaris Elem Charter Academy, City of Chicago Sd 299 also operates Lane Technical High School (4,604 students), Taft High School (4,487 students), and Curie Metropolitan High School (3,099 students). See the City of Chicago Sd 299 district page for the complete list.