The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in Math. The lowest is 41% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Elem School
Lincoln Elementary serves kindergarten through third grade in Blue Island, a south Cook County city about midway between downtown Chicago and the industrial collar of the region. The school enrolls a small number of students and sits in a neighborhood of older brick homes, vintage bungalows, and commercial-residential mixed-use blocks along established streets rather than newer suburban cul-de-sacs.
The enrollment is drawn almost entirely from Hispanic families, with a smaller share of Black students and very few others. Free-or-reduced-price-lunch data was not available, though the neighborhood composition and the school's location in a working-class, historically manufacturing-based city with ongoing economic adjustment suggest that economic need may be present. The school reports no data on students with individualized education plans or English learners, so those rates cannot be assessed.
On state testing, Lincoln Elementary has results only for third grade, the oldest grade the school serves. In math, about a little more than half of third graders met proficiency. In English language arts, the proportion was considerably lower, around four in ten. These are the only available state assessment numbers; fourth through eighth grade data are missing because those grades do not attend Lincoln, which is an elementary school. No prior-year results are available to show trend, and the state changed proficiency cut scores for the most recent year, so year-to-year comparison would not be reliable in any case.
The school is part of Cook County School District 130, which serves Blue Island, Alsip, and Crestwood. No recent major district shifts, referenda, curriculum changes, or consolidation efforts were documented, so the district context appears stable.
Blue Island itself is a mature, historically anchored city with a downtown centered on the Western Avenue commercial corridor and a network of older neighborhoods. The housing stock tilts toward pre-war and mid-century homes; new construction is sparse. The city has pursued revitalization efforts, including work with regional planning groups on uptown economic development and residential improvement. Employment has declined modestly in recent years. The city is moderately walkable, with a transit advantage: six Metra Rock Island District stations connect directly to downtown Chicago in about 18 to 20 minutes, and the Cal-Sag Trail runs through town. Parks include Memorial Park with a pool and splash pad, and the Blue Island Public Library sits on Vermont Street within the central street grid.
A parent considering Lincoln Elementary should understand that the school is small, serves a very young grade band, and sits in a neighborhood of established working families in a city undergoing gradual revitalization. The state test results available for third grade suggest room for growth, particularly in reading and language arts. The school's small size and early-grades focus mean it serves as a feeder into larger schools; families should look into where third graders transition and what those schools offer. Housing in the zip code is modestly priced and steadily held in value, making the area accessible for families buying or renting for the first time.
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