Helen M Hefferan Elementary School
CPS choice · PK,K-8
At a glance
On the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages), Instruction was rated ‘Strong’. 8% of students met or exceeded standards on the 2025 IAR - in the lower quarter of CPS elementary schools with published results (ISBE Report Card 2025).
- Cultural fit
- 50% of students were chronically absent in 2025 - above what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).
- Social-emotional fit
- The school’s supportive environment was rated ‘Weak’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages).
Computed from published data with its source and year on every clause - a description, never a grade.
Basics
CPS-published · verified Nov 2024
- Address
- 4409 W WILCOX ST
- Neighborhood
- West Garfield Park
- Phone
- (773)534-6192
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- https://hefferan.cps.edu
- Before and after care
Supplemental care not found.
SchoolNav searched the school’s website and the main care providers’ pages in Sep 2026 and found no before or after care. Some programs are never posted online, so ask the school office or on a tour.
- Arts and creative
None listed. The school’s CPS profile and the other sources SchoolNav checked name none. Ask on a tour.
- Sports
None listed. The school’s CPS profile and the other sources SchoolNav checked name none. Ask on a tour.
- Climate survey
- Involved families
- Weak
- Supportive environment
- Weak
- Ambitious instruction
- Strong
- Effective leaders
- Neutral
- Collaborative teachers
- Neutral
- Safety (student-reported)
- Very Weak
- Overall organization
- Partially Organized
UChicago 5Essentials levels from the spring 2024 survey (CPS Progress Reports SY2425, verified 2026-09-25) - benchmarked categories relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages. A school can answer mostly positively and still rate below the benchmark typical.
5Essentials - the latest survey in detail
Rigorous Study Habits, Parent Supportiveness, and Academic Engagement are rated above the CPS average; Teacher-Parent Trust, Student Responsibility, and Parent Involvement in School are rated below it this year.
From the 2026 CPS 5Essentials survey (25-26). Scores are benchmarked 1–99 (not percentages) - higher is stronger, and each is shown against the CPS average that same year. This is a newer survey on a different benchmark than the component levels above, so the two aren’t directly comparable.
Show all measures ▸Hide measures ▾
Ambitious Instruction
54 ▬ about the CPS average (56)- Academic Press· students-reported60 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- English Instruction· students-reported57 ▬ about the CPS average (59)
- Math Instruction· students-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
Supportive Environment
45 ▼ below the CPS average (51)- Academic Personalism· students-reported53 ▬ about the CPS average (51)
- Peer Support for Academic Work· students-reported49 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- Safety· students-reported31 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported46 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
Collaborative Teachers
44 ▼ below the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported48 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported49 ▼ below the CPS average (56)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported39 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (51)
Effective Leaders
52 ▬ about the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported51 ▼ below the CPS average (55)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported57 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported48 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported50 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
30 ▼ below the CPS average (53)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported39 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported26 ▼ below the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported26 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported65 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported53 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- Course Clarity· students-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported58 ▬ about the CPS average (55)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported28 ▼ below the CPS average (47)
- Innovation· teachers-reported44 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported58 ▬ about the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported59 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported60 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported63 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- School Connectedness· students-reported54 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- School Safety· students-reported33 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (47)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported48 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported21 ▼ below the CPS average (47)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported42 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
UChicago Consortium — the 2026 cycle (school year 25-26) is re-benchmarked to spring 2024 (SY25+); it is NOT level-comparable to the spring-2013-benchmarked component levels shown elsewhere.
Pre-K
CPS-published· verified Sep 2026This school has Pre-K. Families apply for Pre-K through Chicago Early Learning, not GoCPS.
Full-day Pre-K · for children age 4
Seats: full, with a waitlist, as of Sep 24, 2026.
- Quality rating
- ExceleRate Gold Circle of Quality
Apply through Chicago Early Learning · How Pre-K applications work
Programs (1)
| Program | Entry grades | How seats are offered | Test required | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
STEM Magnet cluster | K–8 | Lottery | No | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Local School Council
CPS-published· verified Oct 2026The Local School Council is a group of parents, staff, and neighbors who help run this school. They vote on the budget and the school plan. Their meetings are open to the public, so you can go and listen.
Next meetings
CPS has not posted any upcoming meetings for this council yet.
CPS lists the date and time. Ask the school office where the meeting will be held.
Members for 2026 to 2028
- Maurice Dalton · Parent
- Monique Dalton · Parent
- Whitney Washington · Parent
- Margaret Walton · Community member
- Lakisha Cooper · Community member
- Deirdre Brown · Teacher
- Bareka Camp · Teacher
- Denasia Braithwaite · School staff (non-teaching)
CPS keeps the official list of council meetings and members. See the CPS council list.
Parent questions & conversation
What parents and people who know this school are asking, answering, and talking about - their own words, experiences and opinions rather than verified facts.
Parent notes on this school are visible to signed-in Chicago families. Sign in to read and ask.
SchoolNav is not affiliated with CPS. Details change - each fact above shows when it was last verified. Application decisions should always be confirmed in GoCPS.