James E McDade Elementary Classical School
CPS selective (SEES) · K-8
At a glance
Adjusted for low-income share, results sit in the top 10% of CPS schools with published IAR results (adjusted view, disclosed method - ISBE Report Card 2025). 89% of students met or exceeded standards on the 2025 IAR - in the top 10% of CPS elementary schools with published results (ISBE Report Card 2025). 70% of teachers stayed from one year to the next - below what's typical for CPS elementary schools. In 2025–26, 398 applications were recorded for 25 offers (GoCPS, 2025–26 school year - the most recent seat data SchoolNav has).
- Cultural fit
- 9% of students were chronically absent in 2025 - below what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025). Family involvement was rated ‘Strong’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages).
- Academic fit
- On the 5Essentials survey, school leadership was rated ‘Strong’ and teacher collaboration was rated ‘Strong’ (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages). 70% of teachers stayed from one year to the next - below 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. How the adjusted view works
Basics
CPS-published · verified Nov 2024
- Address
- 8801 S INDIANA AVE
- Neighborhood
- Chatham
- Phone
- (773)535-3669
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- https://mcdadeclassical.org
- 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
Fundamentals/Theory of Music, Dance
From the school’s CPS profile, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.
- Sports
Basketball, Volleyball, Flag football, Cross country, Chess
From the school’s own website, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.
- Climate survey
- Involved families
- Strong
- Supportive environment
- Weak
- Ambitious instruction
- Neutral
- Effective leaders
- Strong
- Collaborative teachers
- Strong
- Safety (student-reported)
- Weak
- Overall organization
- 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
Innovation, Parent Involvement in School, and Quality of Student Discussion are rated above the CPS average; Academic Personalism, Academic Engagement, and Course Clarity 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
60 ▲ above the CPS average (56)- Academic Press· students-reported31 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- English Instruction· students-reported63 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Math Instruction· students-reported73 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported74 ▲ above the CPS average (53)
Supportive Environment
32 ▼ below the CPS average (51)- Academic Personalism· students-reported14 ▼ below the CPS average (51)
- Peer Support for Academic Work· students-reported24 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- Safety· students-reported54 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported36 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
Collaborative Teachers
58 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported57 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported69 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported61 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported49 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported56 ▲ above the CPS average (51)
Effective Leaders
58 ▲ above the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported64 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported56 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported60 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported50 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
61 ▲ above the CPS average (53)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported70 ▲ above the CPS average (57)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported71 ▲ above the CPS average (49)
- Teacher-Parent Trust· teachers-reported43 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
Supplemental measures
Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.
- Academic Engagement· students-reported20 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported53 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- Course Clarity· students-reported20 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported67 ▲ above the CPS average (55)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported33 ▼ below the CPS average (47)
- Innovation· teachers-reported75 ▲ above the CPS average (52)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported31 ▼ below the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported62 ▲ above the CPS average (48)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported53 ▬ about the CPS average (54)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported47 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
- School Connectedness· students-reported47 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- School Safety· students-reported64 ▲ above the CPS average (54)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported55 ▲ above the CPS average (47)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported30 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported62 ▲ above the CPS average (47)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported69 ▲ above 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.
Programs (1)
| Program | Entry grades | How seats are offered | Test required | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Classical Selective enrollment For 5th grade to 8th grade entry: CPS requires a GPA of at least 3.00. | K–8 | Screening | Yes | CPS-published · verified Oct 2026 |
Cutoff history
What it took to receive an initial offer here in each cycle CPS has published - by tier for Selective Enrollment, and on the citywide points line for points-based Choice programs. History is context - it can’t predict a future cutoff.
What is knowable right now
This cycle’s cutoffs are not published yet. CPS posts cutoff scores only after offers go out.
CPS-published · verified Jul 2026
Elementary offers go out to every family on the same day: March 12, 2027.
CPS-published · verified Oct 2026
| Cycle | Rank min | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 206.3 | 171.3 | 183.8 | 191.3 | 196.3 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2025-26 | 206.3 | 206.3 | 186.3 | 197.5 | 187.5 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2024-25 | 202.5 | 176.3 | 175 | 188.8 | 176.3 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
Minimum point totals from CPS’s published initial offers - waitlist movement can lower what it actually took, and cutoffs move year to year. Within the current-test cycles above, a tier’s minimum has shifted by as much as 35 points from one cycle to the next - treat any single year as a snapshot, not a target.
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
- Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 5:00 PM
- Wednesday, January 20, 2027 at 5:00 PM
- Wednesday, March 17, 2027 at 5:00 PM
CPS lists the date and time. Ask the school office where the meeting will be held.
Members for 2026 to 2028
- Stacy L Gray · Principal
- Christopher Ivory · Parent
- Nichole Carter · Parent
- Elana Godbolt · Parent
- Kathy Farr · Parent
- Yvonne Tuck · Community member
- Latonya Smith · Community member
- Rhea Thomas · Teacher
- Omari R Kenyatta · Teacher
- Louis Gibbs · 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.