River Trails Sd 26, IL - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on River Trails Sd 26

River Trails School District 26 serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade across four schools in Cook County, serving a mid-sized enrollment. The district's students are diverse: roughly half White, with substantial shares of Asian and Hispanic students, and smaller populations of Black and multiracial students. Enrollment is spread fairly evenly across grade levels from elementary through middle school.

On state assessment data, the district's proficiency rates cluster in the middle range, with notable variation by grade and subject. In math, third and fifth graders show stronger proficiency in the low- to mid-60s, while fourth graders and especially sixth graders perform lower, at just over half and near 40 percent respectively. Seventh and eighth graders return to the mid-50s. In English language arts, proficiency is somewhat more consistent, hovering around 50 to 62 percent across grades three through eight, with third grade notably below that range at just under 50 percent. Science testing occurs in grades five and eight only; fifth grade shows proficiency near 49 percent and eighth grade near 58 percent. Across all grades and subjects tested, the district's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among Cook County's districts, a meaningful indicator that the district is performing comparatively well on state tests, even if proficiency levels are not uniformly high across every grade.

Chronic absenteeism in the district stands well below typical county levels, placing it in the top quartile among Cook County districts. That is a concrete strength: students are attending school regularly, which matters for learning and peer connection.

The district's per-pupil current spending is in the middle range, upper half, compared to other county districts. The district completed a substantial building project in 2021: the renovation of Prairie Trails School, now the centralized home for all pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students. The building was designed as a net-zero energy facility and freed up classroom space at the elementary schools to accommodate enrollment growth. Beyond that infrastructure change, the district has adopted new instructional materials in reading and math at both the elementary and middle school levels in recent years, reshaping what students study. The district also maintains a one-to-one Chromebook program for all students, sustained through ongoing device replacements.

No high school grades are served, so graduation rate data does not apply. Free- and reduced-price lunch data was not available, limiting visibility into economic need among the student population. Special education and English learner enrollment counts and rates were also not reported.

The district sits in three adjacent communities: Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, and Prospect Heights. Housing values in the area average in the mid-range for Cook County, with homes weighted toward the 300,000 to 440,000 range. Monthly rents cluster around 1,700 to 2,000 in the communities served. The housing market in Cook County more broadly shows moderate inventory, with days on market in the mid-30s and mortgage rates around 6.5 percent. For families considering the area, the price-to-income ratio suggests housing costs are somewhat elevated relative to median household income.

River Trails is a small-to-mid-sized district with steady academic performance above county norms, strong attendance habits, and a track record of recent infrastructure and curriculum investment. It serves as a feeder to district high schools outside its own system. Parents choosing between elementary or middle schools within this district are placing their children in a community that has made deliberate moves to modernize buildings and instructional materials while maintaining strong engagement patterns among students.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,501

Grades

PK–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 16%

Black 2%

White 50%

Asian 26%

Two+ 6%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

44%

—

Gr 4

52%

—

Gr 5

44%

—

Gr 6

40%

—

Gr 7

40%

—

Gr 8

52%

—

Math

Gr 3

56%

—

Gr 4

40%

—

Gr 5

44%

—

Gr 6

19%

—

Gr 7

38%

—

Gr 8

42%

—

Science

Gr 5

31%

—

Gr 8

44%

—

Schools in this District

4 schools are officially reported under this district.

Euclid Elem School

Indian Grove Elem School

River Trails Middle School

Prairie Trails School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

63%

Grade 3

52%

Grade 4

62%

Grade 5

39%

Grade 6

50%

Grade 7

54%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

50%

Grade 3

60%

Grade 4

63%

Grade 5

53%

Grade 6

52%

Grade 7

62%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

49%

Grade 5

58%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$413,512

Year-over-year change+6.4%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$325K to $442K

vs. state typical1.42x

vs. national typical1.12x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
60056	Mount Prospect	$442K	+6.6%	71.7%
60016	Des Plaines	$325K	+5.2%	17.2%
60070	Prospect Heights	$370K	+6.5%	11.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,755/mo

Year-over-year change+0.3%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$1,681 to $2,061/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
60056	Mount Prospect	$1,693	-0.4%	71.7%
60016	Des Plaines	$2,061	+3.1%	17.2%
60070	Prospect Heights	$1,681	—	11.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,087/mo

Home price / national median income4.9x

Annual rent / national median income25.1%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$332/mo

Market Activity: Cook County

Median listing price$349,900

Median listing price YoY+1.4%

Median price per sq ft$235

Median days on market35.5 days

Median days on market YoY+7.6%

Active listings6,653

Active listings YoY-16.6%

New listings4,792

New listings YoY-15.3%

Pending listings6,887

Pending listings YoY-3.4%

Hotness: median listing price$332,000

Hotness: median listing price YoY-0.9%

Supply score87.3

Supply score YoY-0.1%

Demand score39.6

Demand score YoY+4.9%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$290,210 (+4.9% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.