National Teachers Elementary Academy
CPS selective (SEES) · PK,K-8
At a glance
The state's 2025 summative designation is Targeted; ISBE has identified the school for additional support (ISBE Report Card 2025). In 2025–26, 435 applications were recorded for 28 offers (GoCPS, 2025–26 school year - the most recent seat data SchoolNav has).
- Cultural fit
- 29% of students were chronically absent in 2025 - about what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025). Family involvement was rated ‘Neutral’ (50 of 99) on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2026 survey - benchmarked levels relative to spring 2024 results, not percentages).
- Academic fit
- 82% of teachers stayed from one year to the next - about what's typical for CPS elementary schools (ISBE Report Card 2025). Average class size is 26.1; about 16.7 students per teacher, computed from all-teacher staffing.
- Social-emotional fit
- The school’s supportive environment was rated ‘Weak’ (37 of 99) on the 5Essentials survey (5Essentials spring 2026 survey - benchmarked levels relative to spring 2024 results, not percentages). There is 1 school counselor per 399 students (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
- 55 W CERMAK RD
- Neighborhood
- Near South Side
- Phone
- (773)534-9970
- Hours
- Unknown - not verified yet
- Website
- https://ntacourage.org
- Before and after care
Before care from 7:00 AM. After care until 6:00 PM. Run by Right At School. After care costs $288 a month for 5 days a week.
From the program’s own page. Checked Sep 2026. Hours, prices and space change, so confirm with the school.
- Arts and creative
Drawing, Painting, Plays/Acting, Step Dance, Theater, Band/Orchestra, Murals, Student Music Club, Art Studio, Dance, Talent Show, Web Design, Drama, Mixed Media, Piano/Keyboard
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
Cheerleading, Football, Pom-Pon, Step Dance, Wrestling, Chess, Fast Pitch, Baseball, Girls on the Run, Running, Basketball, Girls on Track, Soccer, 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
- Neutral (50 of 99)
- Supportive environment
- Weak (37 of 99)
- Ambitious instruction
- Neutral (55 of 99)
- Effective leaders
- Neutral (49 of 99)
- Collaborative teachers
- Neutral (42 of 99)
- Safety (student-reported)
- Weak (35 of 99)
UChicago 5Essentials, spring 2026 survey, verified 2026-09-23. Each score runs from 1 to 99 and is compared with spring 2024 results; the level uses the survey site’s own bands (Neutral is 40 to 59, Strong 60 to 79). These are not percentages. A school can answer mostly positively and still score below typical.
5Essentials - the latest survey in detail
English Instruction and Quality Professional Development are rated above the CPS average; Teacher-Teacher Trust, School Safety, and Student Peer Relationships 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. The levels above come from this same survey.
Show all measures ▸Hide measures ▾
Ambitious Instruction
55 ▬ about the CPS average (56)- Academic Press· students-reported54 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- English Instruction· students-reported64 ▲ above the CPS average (59)
- Math Instruction· students-reported53 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Quality of Student Discussion· teachers-reported49 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
Supportive Environment
37 ▼ below the CPS average (51)- Academic Personalism· students-reported37 ▼ below the CPS average (51)
- Peer Support for Academic Work· students-reported43 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- Safety· students-reported35 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
- Student-Teacher Trust· students-reported31 ▼ below the CPS average (50)
Collaborative Teachers
42 ▼ below the CPS average (52)- Collaborative Practices· teachers-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Collective Responsibility· teachers-reported36 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
- Quality Professional Development· teachers-reported60 ▲ above the CPS average (56)
- School Commitment· teachers-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
- Teacher-Teacher Trust· teachers-reported31 ▼ below the CPS average (51)
Effective Leaders
49 ▬ about the CPS average (52)- Instructional Leadership· teachers-reported48 ▼ below the CPS average (55)
- Program Coherence· teachers-reported49 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- Teacher Influence· teachers-reported55 ▬ about the CPS average (52)
- Teacher-Principal Trust· teachers-reported45 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
Involved Families
50 ▬ about the CPS average (53)- Parent Influence on Decision Making in Schools· teachers-reported59 ▬ about the CPS average (57)
- Parent Involvement in School· teachers-reported48 ▬ about 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-reported47 ▼ below the CPS average (57)
- Classroom Disruptions· teachers-reported41 ▼ below the CPS average (48)
- Classroom Rigor· students-reported52 ▬ about the CPS average (53)
- Course Clarity· students-reported46 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Emotional Health· students-reported43 ▼ below the CPS average (55)
- Human & Social Resources in the Community· students-reported38 ▼ below the CPS average (47)
- Innovation· teachers-reported45 ▼ below the CPS average (52)
- Inquiry-Based Science Instruction· students-reported59 ▬ about the CPS average (59)
- Parent Supportiveness· students-reported48 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
- Reflective Dialogue· teachers-reported46 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Rigorous Study Habits· students-reported47 ▬ about the CPS average (48)
- School Connectedness· students-reported40 ▼ below the CPS average (53)
- School Safety· students-reported34 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Socialization of New Teachers· teachers-reported45 ▬ about the CPS average (47)
- Student Peer Relationships· students-reported34 ▼ below the CPS average (54)
- Student Responsibility· teachers-reported37 ▼ below the CPS average (47)
- Teacher Safety· teachers-reported46 ▼ 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 Silver 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Regional Gifted Center 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 | 220 | 190 | 165 | 192.5 | 200 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2025-26 | 232.5 | 170 | 202.5 | 205 | 215 | CPS-published · verified Jul 2026 |
| 2024-25 | 217.5 | 150 | 172.5 | 202.5 | 202.5 | 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 37.5 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
- Monday, November 16, 2026 at 3:30 PM
- Monday, January 11, 2027 at 3:30 PM
- Monday, February 8, 2027 at 3:30 PM
CPS lists the date and time. Ask the school office where the meeting will be held.
Members for 2026 to 2028
- Teneka J Brooks · Principal
- KAREN MURTAGH · Parent
- Lisa Hudson · Parent
- Victoria Earsery · Community member
- Naamonde Williams · Teacher
- Yoko Wimby · Teacher
- Emily Mariano · Education expert
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.