Lyon Elem School, Chicago IL - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Lyon Elem School

Lyon Elementary School serves prekindergarten through eighth grade in a residential neighborhood on Chicago's northwest side. The school enrolls a small-to-medium population concentrated heavily in the upper elementary and middle grades, with particularly strong enrollment in grades six through eight. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, reflecting the neighborhood's demographics, with much smaller populations of white, Asian, Black, and other students. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and English learner status were not available in the school's directory, so a parent may want to contact the school directly to understand the economic and language-support context.

Academic performance on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness shows a pattern of particular strength in language arts at certain grades and significant challenges in mathematics and science across the board. In English language arts, the school reaches above-the-midpoint proficiency in grades four and seven, with grade seven performing notably well. Grades three, five, six, and eight show below-midpoint proficiency in ELA. Mathematics results are weaker throughout: proficiency is above middling only in grade four, while grades three, five, six, seven, and eight all post proficiency rates well below the county median. Science proficiency in the two grades tested (five and eight) is similarly low. Across all tested grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint relative to the districts in Cook County.

The variation between ELA and math, and the strength particularly visible in seventh-grade language arts, suggests the school may have particular teaching capacity in that area or curricular emphasis. The consistent struggle in upper-elementary and middle-grade mathematics, especially in grades five and six where proficiency drops sharply, warrants conversation with school leadership about intervention strategies, instruction methods, and whether additional support is available for students below grade level. Science results are limited to two grades, so the picture is incomplete, but both show low proficiency.

Lyon is part of Chicago Public Schools, a district undergoing substantial structural change. CPS transitioned from a fully mayor-appointed board to a hybrid board in 2024, with all 21 seats to be elected in November 2026, placing school governance directly in parents' hands for the first time. The district adopted a five-year strategic plan in 2024 that prioritizes strengthening neighborhood schools and backs away from the school-choice model that has defined the district for decades. In December 2024, CPS replaced its longtime numeric school ratings with holistic accountability dashboards that look beyond test scores to school experience and resources. The district has also rolled out Skyline, its first comprehensive PreK-12 universal curriculum, available free to all district schools, giving Lyon and other CPS schools consistent instructional materials.

Lyon's neighborhood sits in a diverse, dense section of Chicago with solid walkability and access to the city's extensive transit network. The school's street address on North McVicker Avenue places it in a residential area with a long-standing community presence. Housing in the Chicago market has moderated from recent highs, with median values and rents reflecting mild growth year over year. The area has seen Chicago's broader population recovery, with the city adding residents after nearly a decade of decline and the metro growing for three consecutive years through 2025. Families considering Lyon should understand that the school's academic strengths lie primarily in language arts, particularly at the middle-school level, while mathematics presents a clear area for growth and where prospective families may want to ask how the school supports students working below grade level. The school serves a neighborhood-based enrollment and operates within a district actively reimagining its role and governance.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 38%

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 449%

School 49% · District 29% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 24% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 23% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 719%

School 19% · District 27% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 814%

School 14% · District 23% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 333%

School 33% · District 36% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 39% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 545%

School 45% · District 43% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 45%

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 764%

School 64% · District 46% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 846%

School 46% · District 48% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · even with county median

Science

Grade 525%

School 25% · District 29% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 826%

School 26% · District 31% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · even with county median

This schoolChicago Public Schools Dist 299, 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.