The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in English language arts. The lowest is 56% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Howard B Thomas Grade School
Howard B Thomas Grade School serves grades pre-K through fifth in Burlington, a very small rural village in western Kane County, about sixty miles west of Chicago. The school enrolls a substantial student body for its grade band, with roughly balanced representation across the early grades and a notably diverse enrollment: roughly half the students identify as white, with Asian and Hispanic students making up meaningful shares, and smaller populations of Black and multiracial students. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data was not available, so a parent may want to contact the school directly about the economic composition of the student body and what support services are in place.
The school's academic performance shows a mixed picture across the grades tested. In English language arts, proficiency is notably stronger in the upper elementary grades. Third grade sits at the midpoint, fourth grade shows solid proficiency, and fifth grade reaches a substantially higher level. Math proficiency is less consistent: third grade performs above the midpoint, fourth grade dips to near the middle, and fifth grade recovers to the low-to-mid range. The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it above the midpoint among districts in Kane County. In science, fifth grade proficiency sits near the middle range. The school participates fully in state testing; participation rates are high across grades. A parent looking for detail on why fourth grade math results lag should feel comfortable asking the school about that specific grade and what instructional support or intervention might address it.
The school sits in a village with limited walkability outside a small Main Street core and very limited local employment; most residents commute to Elgin or beyond. Housing values in the Burlington zip code sit modestly below the state average and are substantially below the national median, making homeownership more accessible than in surrounding areas. The broader district is growing: new single-family and townhouse construction is underway, and the school district has added a substantial number of students in recent years. However, voters twice rejected high school referendums in 2024, leaving the district managing enrollment growth without new construction. Both the elementary schools and the high school are already using mobile units to handle capacity. This tension may shape decisions about program offerings and facility access over the coming years, and families considering the district should be aware of this backdrop.
The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet program, and offers the standard elementary curriculum. Data on special education services, English learner supports, staffing levels, and specific program offerings beyond core academics was not available. A parent seeking detail on intervention services, gifted programming, or specialized support should reach out to the school directly. Discipline and attendance data were also not provided in the available records.
Howard B Thomas fits families looking for a small-town elementary setting with accessible housing costs and a diverse peer group, in a place where the rural character is still intact but suburban growth is beginning. Families relocating to the area or considering the school would benefit from asking about the district's facilities outlook, what programs may shift due to space constraints, and what the school's specific academic supports are in the grades where proficiency is lower.
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