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Public School Review - Established 2003

Waters Elementary School

4540 N Campbell Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(School attendance zone shown in map)
View full size Get directions
: 
9/
10
Top 20%
Tel: (773) 534-5090
www.waterselementary.org
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Serving 702 students in grades Prekindergarten-8, Waters Elementary School ranks in the top 20% of all schools in Illinois for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 20%, and reading proficiency is top 20%).
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 47% (which is higher than the Illinois state average of 27%). The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 44% (which is higher than the Illinois state average of 30%).
The student-teacher ratio of 15:1 is higher than the Illinois state level of 13:1.
Minority enrollment is 40% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is lower than the Illinois state average of 55% (majority Hispanic).

Quick Facts (2026)

  • Grades: Prekindergarten-8
  • Enrollment: 702 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 40%
  • : Top 20% in IL
  • : 47% (Top 20%)
  • : 44% (Top 20%)
  • : 75-79% (Top 10%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IL Dept. of Education

Top Rankings

Waters Elementary School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Illinois for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Most improved public schools
Most improved public schools (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 10%)

School Overview

Waters Elementary School's student population of 702 students has grown by 6% over five school years.
The teacher population of 46 teachers has grown by 39% over five school years.
Grades Offered
Grades Prekindergarten-8

Distribution of Students By Grade Trends

GradeWaters Elementary School
Pre-K20
Kind92
182
274
387
475
583
672
765
852
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Total Students
702 students

Total Students Trends Over Years (1989-2025)

YearWaters Elementary School
2025702
2024659
2023627
2022638
2021661
2020641
2019638
2018629
2017629
2016641
2015622
2014666
2013603
2012582
2011554
2010470
2009459
2008412
2007368
2006421
2005465
2004564
2003622
2002632
2001632
2000591
1999638
1998667
1997658
1996672
1995628
1994622
1993571
1992562
1991584
1990576
1989533
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Total Classroom Teachers
46 teachers

Total Classroom Teachers Trends Over Years (1988-2025)

YearWaters Elementary School
202546
202444
202340
202237
202033
201933
201831
201731
201633
201534
201436
201342
201230
201128
201027
200925
200823
200721
200627
200528
200432
200337
200236
200137
200035
199939
199839
199738
199634
199535
199435
199332
199229
199130
199030
198928
198828
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Year Founded
1905
School Calendar
View School Calendar

School Rankings

Waters Elementary School ranks within the top 20% of all 3,542 schools in Illinois (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data).
The diversity score of Waters Elementary School is 0.58, which is less than the diversity score at state average of 0.69. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Definition of Terms
This School
State Level (IL)
#550 out of 3542 schools
(Top 20%)

Overall School Rank Trends Over Years (2012-2023)

YearWaters Elementary School
2023#550
2022#460
2021#553
2019#461
2018#628
2017#1027
2016#725
2015#791
2014#1290
2013#1294
2012#1822
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47%
27%

Math Proficiency Comparison Over Years (2011-2023)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
202347%27%20%
202148%28%17%
201950%33%24%
201847%32%22%
201739%32%24%
201645%31%23%
201536%29%21%
201461%59%50%
201360%58%48%
201281%80%73%
201178%80%72%
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44%
30%

Reading and Language Arts Proficiency Comparison Over Years (2011-2022)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
202244%30%20%
202145%32%21%
201959%38%27%
201854%37%22%
201747%38%28%
201650%36%27%
201552%38%29%
201466%57%45%
201370%58%47%
201282%75%65%
201184%75%65%
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75-79%
50%
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
13:1

Student-Teacher Ratio Comparison Over Years (1988-2025)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
202515:113:1
202415:114:115:1
202316:114:115:1
202217:114:116:1
202019:115:118:1
201919:115:118:1
201820:116:120:1
201720:116:120:1
201619:116:119:1
201518:116:117:1
201419:116:118:1
201314:113:115:1
201219:116:118:1
201120:116:118:1
201017:116:118:1
200919:116:120:1
200818:118:120:1
200718:117:122:1
200616:116:117:1
200517:117:118:1
200418:117:120:1
200317:117:119:1
200218:117:119:1
200117:117:119:1
200017:117:118:1
199916:117:118:1
199817:117:118:1
199717:117:118:1
199620:117:118:1
199518:118:118:1
199418:118:118:1
199318:117:117:1
199219:117:118:1
199119:117:118:1
199019:118:118:1
198919:118:119:1
198820:118:119:1
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American Indian
n/a
n/a
Asian
5%
6%

Asian Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1988-2024)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
20245%6%4%
20235%6%4%
20226%5%4%
20216%5%5%
20204%5%5%
20194%5%5%
20183%5%4%
20173%5%4%
20163%5%4%
20153%6%5%
20143%5%4%
20134%5%4%
20124%4%4%
20115%5%3%
20107%5%4%
20097%5%4%
20085%5%5%
20075%5%5%
20065%5%4%
20054%5%3%
20045%4%4%
20035%4%3%
20023%4%4%
20014%4%4%
20003%3%3%
19992%3%3%
19982%3%3%
19973%3%3%
19964%3%3%
19958%3%3%
19948%3%3%
19936%3%3%
19925%3%3%
199112%3%3%
19909%3%3%
198912%3%3%
198814%2%3%
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Hispanic
24%
29%

Hispanic Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1988-2024)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
202423%28%44%
202324%27%44%
202222%27%44%
202126%27%44%
202030%26%44%
201932%26%44%
201838%26%45%
201738%26%45%
201638%26%44%
201539%25%41%
201441%25%46%
201343%24%46%
201247%24%44%
201148%23%44%
201048%22%42%
200947%22%41%
200856%21%40%
200761%20%39%
200672%19%39%
200573%18%38%
200474%18%37%
200370%17%37%
200273%16%36%
200170%15%35%
200071%15%35%
199968%14%35%
199866%13%34%
199765%13%33%
199663%12%32%
199560%12%31%
199460%11%31%
199357%11%30%
199260%10%29%
199153%10%28%
199054%9%27%
198946%9%26%
198842%9%25%
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Black
1%
16%

Black Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1988-2024)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
20242%16%41%
20232%17%41%
20223%17%41%
20212%17%41%
20204%17%41%
20193%17%41%
20183%17%41%
20173%17%41%
20163%17%42%
20153%17%38%
20143%17%40%
20133%18%40%
20123%18%42%
20113%18%43%
20106%20%45%
20096%20%47%
20084%20%47%
20074%20%48%
20064%20%49%
20055%20%50%
20043%21%50%
20033%21%51%
20023%21%51%
20015%21%52%
20004%21%52%
19996%21%53%
19986%21%54%
19975%20%54%
19965%21%54%
19954%20%55%
19945%21%55%
19933%21%56%
19925%21%57%
19914%21%58%
19906%22%59%
19895%22%59%
19883%22%60%
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White
60%
45%

White Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1988-2024)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
202461%45%9%
202359%45%9%
202260%47%9%
202158%47%9%
202055%48%9%
201954%48%9%
201850%49%9%
201750%49%9%
201650%49%9%
201550%49%11%
201445%50%9%
201343%50%9%
201240%51%9%
201138%51%9%
201039%53%9%
200940%53%8%
200833%54%8%
200727%55%8%
200617%56%8%
200518%57%9%
200418%57%9%
200322%58%9%
200220%59%9%
200120%60%9%
200022%61%10%
199924%62%9%
199826%63%9%
199727%64%10%
199628%64%11%
199528%65%11%
199427%65%11%
199334%65%11%
199230%66%11%
199131%66%11%
199031%66%11%
198936%66%12%
198841%67%12%
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Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
Two or more races
10%
4%

Two or More Races Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2012-2024)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
20249%4%2%
202310%4%2%
20229%4%2%
20218%4%1%
20207%4%1%
20197%4%1%
20186%3%1%
20176%3%1%
20166%3%1%
20154%3%3%
20146%3%1%
20137%3%1%
20126%3%1%
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All Ethnic Groups
0.58
0.69

Diversity Score Comparison Over Years (1989-2025)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
20250.580.69
20240.570.700.63
20230.590.700.63
20220.580.680.63
20210.590.680.63
20200.610.680.63
20190.600.680.63
20180.610.670.62
20170.610.670.62
20160.610.670.62
20150.600.670.59
20140.630.660.63
20130.630.660.63
20120.620.650.63
20110.630.660.62
20100.620.640.62
20090.620.640.61
20080.580.640.61
20070.570.630.61
20060.470.610.60
20050.430.610.60
20040.420.600.61
20030.460.590.61
20020.440.590.60
20010.480.580.60
20000.480.570.61
19990.510.560.61
19980.530.560.60
19970.540.540.60
19960.560.530.60
19950.570.530.60
19940.580.520.60
19930.590.520.60
19920.570.520.59
19910.640.520.59
19900.630.510.58
19890.650.510.58
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Eligible for Free Lunch
37%
43%

Free Lunch Eligibility Comparison Over Years (2005-2025)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
202537%43%
202439%43%74%
202341%43%74%
202241%43%74%
202139%44%74%
202026%47%80%
201929%47%80%
201841%46%83%
201741%46%83%
201638%47%83%
201546%52%86%
201437%47%83%
201343%45%81%
201219%21%41%
201155%39%70%
201059%37%70%
200949%33%66%
200856%32%68%
200759%32%68%
200676%32%67%
200580%32%70%
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Eligible for Reduced Lunch (13-14)
9%
3%

Reduced-Price Lunch Eligibility Comparison Over Years (2004-2014)

YearWaters Elementary SchoolIllinoisChicago Public Schools Dist 299
20149%3%3%
20136%5%4%
201236%27%46%
201110%5%6%
20109%6%7%
200914%6%8%
200813%6%8%
200713%6%8%
200612%6%8%
200512%5%8%
200414%5%9%
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School Statewide Testing
View Education Department Test Scores
School District Name
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IL Dept. of Education

School Notes

  • School Mascot: Wildcats
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Waters Elementary School's ranking?
Waters Elementary School is ranked #550 out of 3,542 schools, which ranks it among the top 20% of public schools in Illinois.
What schools are Waters Elementary School often compared to?
Waters Elementary Schoolis often viewed alongside schools like Coonley Elementary School, Greeley Elementary School by visitors of our site.
What percent of students have achieved state testing proficiency in math and reading?
47% of students have achieved math proficiency (compared to the 27% IL state average), while 44% of students have achieved reading proficiency (compared to the 30% IL state average).
How many students attend Waters Elementary School?
702 students attend Waters Elementary School.
What is the racial composition of the student body?
60% of Waters Elementary School students are White, 24% of students are Hispanic, 10% of students are Two or more races, 5% of students are Asian, and 1% of students are Black.
What is the student-teacher ratio of Waters Elementary School?
Waters Elementary School has a student ration of 15:1, which is higher than the Illinois state average of 13:1.
What grades does Waters Elementary School offer ?
Waters Elementary School offers enrollment in grades Prekindergarten-8
What school district is Waters Elementary School part of?
Waters Elementary School is part of Chicago Public Schools Dist 299.
In what neighborhood is Waters Elementary School located?
Waters Elementary School is located in the Ravenswood Gardens neighborhood of Chicago, IL.

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • Grades: Prekindergarten-8
  • Enrollment: 702 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 40%
  • : Top 20%
  • : 47% (Top 20%)
  • : 44% (Top 20%)
  • : 75-79% (Top 10%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IL Dept. of Education

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