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James Weldon Johnson STEAM Elementary School

CPS choice · PK,K-8

CPS-published· verified Oct 2026

At a glance

Family involvement was rated ‘Very Weak’ on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2024 survey - benchmarked levels relative to Illinois statewide, spring 2013, not percentages).

Academic performance
15% 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).
Academic fit
74% of teachers stayed from one year to the next - below what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).
Social-emotional fit
25% of students with IEPs spend most of the school day in general classrooms - below what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025).

Computed from published data with its source and year on every clause - a description, never a grade.

Basics

CPS-published · verified Nov 2024

Address
1420 S ALBANY AVE
Neighborhood
North Lawndale
Phone
(773)534-1829
Hours
Unknown - not verified yet
Website
https://johnsonwildcats.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

Musicals, Choir/Chorus

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

Football, Baseball, Volleyball

From the school’s CPS profile, for the 2026-27 school year. Checked Sep 2026. Offerings change each year, so confirm on a tour.

Climate survey
Involved families
Very Weak
Supportive environment
Neutral
Ambitious instruction
Neutral
Effective leaders
Weak
Collaborative teachers
Neutral
Safety (student-reported)
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

Peer Support for Academic Work, Teacher-Teacher Trust, and Academic Engagement are rated above the CPS average; Course Clarity, Teacher-Parent Trust, and Teacher Safety 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 ▸

Ambitious Instruction

51 ▼ below the CPS average (56)

Supportive Environment

50 ▬ about the CPS average (51)

Collaborative Teachers

46 ▼ below the CPS average (52)

Effective Leaders

49 ▬ about the CPS average (52)

Involved Families

37 ▼ below the CPS average (53)

Supplemental measures

Additional survey topics UChicago reports outside the five core measures.

CPS-published · verified Jul 2026Response rates: students 100%, teachers 56%, parents 0%Full 2026 measures report (UChicago)

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 2026

This school has Pre-K. Families apply for Pre-K through Chicago Early Learning, not GoCPS.

  • Full-day Pre-K · for children age 4

    Seats: limited availability, as of Sep 24, 2026.

Quality rating
ExceleRate Gold Circle of Quality

Apply through Chicago Early Learning · How Pre-K applications work

Programs (1)

ProgramEntry gradesHow seats are offeredTest requiredEvidence

STEAM

Open enrollment

K–8Lottery
NoCPS-published · verified Oct 2026

Local School Council

CPS-published· verified Oct 2026

The 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

  • Steve L Fisher · Principal
  • Tewana Hudson · Parent
  • Amanda Henley · Parent
  • Dana Lowery · Parent
  • Kesha Davis · Community member
  • Joseph Waggoner · Teacher
  • LaTina Redmond · Teacher
  • Nicoli Buchanan · 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.