Nicholson Elem School, Montgomery IL

Original Research by School Decision on Nicholson Elem School

Nicholson Elementary is a small public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Montgomery, a fast-growing Fox River suburb on the western edge of the Chicago metro. The school sits in Aurora West USD 129, where full-day kindergarten is now the default for all incoming students, an important detail for working families in the district.

The school's recent state assessment results show that proficiency in math and English language arts is well below the midpoint among Kane County districts. In third grade, roughly two in five students tested at proficient or above in math, while proficiency dropped sharply in grades four and five, to around one quarter of students in each. English language arts proficiency follows a similar pattern, ranging from under one third in grades three and four to somewhat higher in grade five. Science proficiency in fifth grade was also notably below the midpoint. Parents may want to look into the school's instructional support systems and any targeted academic interventions the school has in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards. The state also adjusted proficiency cut scores in recent years, so long-term trend data is not yet available.

Nicholson serves a small enrollment that is heavily Latino (roughly three quarters of students) and includes a substantial share of Black students and a smaller White student population. The exact count of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch is not available in the data, though this is a relatively common gap in state reporting. Similarly, the enrollment of English learners and students with individualized education plans was not disclosed.

Montgomery itself is a residential village that has grown substantially over the past two decades, driven largely by single-family subdivisions on the western and southern sides in Kendall County. The village's historic core centers on the Fox River and the Mill District, where civic anchors like Montgomery Park and the Fox River Trail provide gathering space. Manufacturing and distribution remain economic anchors—the Caterpillar plant sits just south of the village, and a new industrial project anchored by Ravago is underway. The area is auto-oriented and not highly walkable overall, though the village has been investing in river-corridor walkability and streetscape improvements.

Housing values in the area are moderate for the region, and median home values have been appreciating. Mortgage costs and rent make up a substantial share of household income, reflecting the broader economic context of suburban Chicago. The school's location and the character of its neighborhoods are typical for a western exurban growth corridor, where family housing has expanded rapidly but infrastructure and academic performance have sometimes lagged behind enrollment.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 38% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 426%

School 26% · District 30% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 23% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 329%

School 29% · District 28% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 428%

School 28% · District 32% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 37% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Science

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 29% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

This schoolAurora West USD 129, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.