Dirksen Elem School

www.cps.edu

1,263 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

Dirksen Elementary School, located at 8601 W. Foster Ave in the Norwood Park neighborhood of Chicago, is a public school serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As part of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) district, the school is situated in a quiet residential area and is known for serving a diverse student body. The school’s mission emphasizes fostering academic growth, social-emotional development, and a supportive learning environment that prepares students for the transition to high school.

Academically, Dirksen offers a standard CPS curriculum supplemented by various extracurricular programs that aim to engage students outside of the classroom. The school is a focal point for its local community, often hosting family engagement events and maintaining active partnerships with parents and neighborhood stakeholders. By balancing core academic standards with a focus on student well-being, Dirksen Elementary strives to provide a comprehensive educational experience that encourages both personal and intellectual success for its diverse population.

1,263

Total Students

75.5

Full-Time Teachers

16.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Dirksen Elem School
Demographic	Student Count
White	845
Hispanic	118
Black	28
Asian	256
Two or More	12
American Indian	2
Pacific Islander	2

White
845 (66.9%)
Asian
256 (20.3%)
Hispanic
118 (9.3%)
Black
28 (2.2%)
Two or More
12 (1.0%)
American Indian
2 (0.2%)
Pacific Islander
2 (0.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
Phone:	(773)534-1090
Website:	http://www.cps.edu
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	1,263
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	75.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	16.7
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 128

Kindergarten 132

Grade 1 137

Grade 2 134

Grade 3 138

Grade 4 115

Grade 5 135

Grade 6 124

Grade 7 103

Grade 8 115

Grade 9 2