Summit Hill Sd 161, IL - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Summit Hill Sd 161

Summit Hill School District 161 serves grades pre-K through 8 across four towns in Will County: Frankfort, Mokena, and Tinley Park. The district operates six schools and enrolls a student population that is predominantly white, with substantial representation from Hispanic and Black students, and smaller shares of Asian and multiracial learners. Overall enrollment sits at a mid-sized level for an elementary-through-middle-grade district.

In its most recent state assessments, the district shows a mixed academic profile. English language arts proficiency runs stronger in the upper grades, with grade 8 performing notably well and grades 4 and 7 also above average. Math proficiency starts high in grade 3 but declines through the middle grades, hitting a low point in grade 6 before recovering somewhat by grade 8. Science results in grades 5 and 8 are in the mid-range. Across all tested grades and subjects, the district's proficiency index places it in the top quartile among Will County districts, a meaningful strength that reflects solid overall achievement even where individual grade-level results are lower.

The district has managed chronic absenteeism well, with a rate that ranks in the top quartile among county districts. Per-pupil current spending falls in the upper-middle range for the county. Testing participation rates are consistently very high, near 100 percent across grades and subjects.

The district has faced enrollment decline and structural change. In late 2023, the school board voted to close two elementary schools—Frankfort Square in Frankfort and Arbury Hills in Mokena—citing dwindling enrollment. Frankfort Square closed after the 2023-24 school year, and Arbury Hills closed in summer 2024. This consolidation shifted attendance patterns and school assignments for families across all three towns.

The closure decision sparked property-tax tension. The district maintained its full property tax levy despite closing two buildings, which generated a November 2024 advisory referendum asking voters whether they approved of that approach. In the April 2025 school board election, voters elected a slate of challengers and one re-elected incumbent who shifted board control toward members aligned with parent opposition to the closures and their implementation. Patrick Oliphant, the parent who organized the referendum petition, won a board seat alongside three other challengers, signaling potential shifts in district priorities and operations going forward.

Housing values in the three towns the district serves range broadly, with median home values higher in Frankfort and lower in parts of Tinley Park. The rental market is limited in the data, with only one zipcode represented. Home prices have appreciated modestly year over year, and the market shows moderate supply and demand across Will County overall. Mortgage rates and affordability metrics are in the range typical for the region.

Families considering this district should understand it as one in transition. Academic performance is generally solid, and the district ranks well on both proficiency and attendance metrics among its county peers. However, the recent school closures reshaped which buildings serve which neighborhoods, and the concurrent shift in school board control toward parent-backed candidates suggests ongoing reassessment of district operations and priorities. Parents may want to look further into how the new board direction will affect curriculum, staffing, and spending, and which elementary building their address would now feed into after the consolidation.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

2,398

Grades

PK–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 13%

Black 9%

White 71%

Asian 3%

Two+ 4%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

54%

—

Gr 4

73%

—

Gr 5

58%

—

Gr 6

47%

—

Gr 7

52%

—

Gr 8

71%

—

Math

Gr 3

60%

—

Gr 4

54%

—

Gr 5

50%

—

Gr 6

14%

—

Gr 7

29%

—

Gr 8

58%

—

Science

Gr 5

50%

—

Gr 8

55%

—

Schools in this District

6 schools are officially reported under this district.

Arbury Hills Elem School

Frankfort Square Elem School

Indian Trail Elem School

Summit Hill Junior High School

Dr Julian Rogus School

Walker Intermediate School

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

78%

Grade 3

68%

Grade 4

61%

Grade 5

42%

Grade 6

49%

Grade 7

71%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

68%

Grade 3

76%

Grade 4

68%

Grade 5

65%

Grade 6

71%

Grade 7

81%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

62%

Grade 5

66%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$449,815

Year-over-year change+4.2%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$303K to $497K

vs. state typical1.55x

vs. national typical1.22x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
60423	Frankfort	$497K	+3.6%	45.3%
60487	Tinley Park	$394K	+4.0%	25.8%
60448	Mokena	$449K	+5.5%	24.5%
60477	Tinley Park	$303K	+4.1%	4.4%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,816/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
60477	Tinley Park	$1,816	—	4.4%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,270/mo

Home price / national median income5.4x

Annual rent / national median income26.0%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$454/mo

Market Activity: Will County

Median listing price$423,700

Median listing price YoY+5.6%

Median price per sq ft$207

Median price per sq ft YoY+3.5%

Median days on market33.5 days

Active listings956

Active listings YoY-0.1%

New listings808

New listings YoY-2.9%

Pending listings1,210

Pending listings YoY+4.1%

Hotness: median listing price$414,050

Hotness: median listing price YoY+2.4%

Supply score90.2

Supply score YoY+3.9%

Demand score72.6

Demand score YoY-3.2%

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.