The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Oak Park Elem School
Oak Park Elementary School serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in Aurora, a mixed-use suburb and Illinois's second-largest city. The school sits on the East Side near downtown Aurora along the Fox River, in a part of the city composed largely of residential neighborhoods, with the downtown's historic anchors—the Paramount Theatre, civic parks, and the Aurora Transportation Center—within a short distance.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, reflecting the East Side's demographics. The school enrolls a small-to-mid-sized population for its grade band across seven grades. Free-or-reduced-price-lunch eligibility data is not available, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about the economic profile of families it serves.
State test results show proficiency across math, English language arts, and science measured on Illinois's IAR and ISA 2.0 assessments. In math, proficiency in grade three is the highest among the tested grades, while grades four and five show lower proficiency. In ELA, grade five stands out with substantially higher proficiency than grades three and four. Science proficiency in grade five is low. In a comparison among school districts across Kane County, Oak Park's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile, which means a parent should understand that academic performance here is well below the county median and below three-quarters of the county's other schools. The school's state testing data carries a note that cut scores for Illinois assessments changed in the most recent year, so trends cannot yet be computed. A parent may want to ask the school directly about how instruction is being adapted to address proficiency gaps and what support systems exist for students not meeting grade-level standards.
The school appears to operate within a district context of expansion. Aurora East USD 131, the parent district, is in the first years of rolling out a district-wide dual language program, growing it grade by grade with the goal that all students graduate bilingual and biliterate. This affects how reading, writing, and content instruction are delivered from kindergarten onward and is a curriculum shift that shapes the learning pathway at every school in the district. The district also adopted a new five-year strategic plan in 2024 focused on equity, operational excellence, collaborative leadership, and closing the opportunity gap. At the facilities level, the district has funded central air conditioning upgrades at multiple schools without raising property taxes, a tangible improvement families notice in the classroom.
Housing in the area is moderately priced and relatively affordable. The Fox Valley corridor where Aurora sits, including the school's zip code, shows home values somewhat below Illinois state median, with monthly mortgage estimates and rent-to-income ratios that remain manageable for households near median household income. The local employment base includes healthcare, manufacturing (Caterpillar), gaming and hospitality, and growing technology sectors, particularly JPMorgan Chase's operations in Aurora. The city is in an active downtown revitalization phase with significant apartment development underway.
Graduation rate and attendance data are not reported for this school because it serves only elementary grades. Program offerings beyond standard curriculum instruction are not available in the data provided, so a parent should ask the school directly about special programs, clubs, arts, or enrichment activities.
See more original research from School Decision →