The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on U S Grant Elem School
U.S. Grant Elementary is a small school serving roughly 160 students in early grades through fifth, located in South Chicago Heights, a village of small-town character in the south suburbs of Cook County. The school sits in a residential area along Miller Avenue, drawing families from a community with modest for-sale housing and rental costs and an economy built around small industrial firms and manufacturing.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic/Latino, with a majority of students of Latino background and a smaller share of Black students and others. The demographic composition reflects both the village itself and the broader enrollment pattern of Chicago Heights School District 170, which is pursuing a district-wide dual-language (Spanish-English) program using the Literacy Squared biliteracy model. This commitment shapes reading and writing instruction across the district and is relevant for bilingual families. School-level details on English learner enrollment or special education population were not available, as these data were not reported.
On state proficiency testing, the school shows mixed results across grades three through five. In grade three math, a modest majority of students reached proficiency; in grade four, about half did. Grade five math proficiency fell to a low single digit, suggesting either a sharp performance drop at that level or a possible cohort-specific issue worth exploring with the school directly. In English language arts, grade three and five proficiency rates were below half; grade four was stronger. Science testing was administered only to grade five, where proficiency was very low. All students took the state assessment, so participation was complete.
These proficiency levels place the school below the midpoint when compared to other districts across Cook County on an overall proficiency index. A parent may want to speak with the school directly about the patterns in grade five, the instructional approaches in early literacy and numeracy, and any school-specific supports or interventions in place. The school's website or a direct conversation can clarify whether particular cohorts or circumstances explain the fluctuations or whether this reflects broader patterns in how the school approaches core instruction.
The school is part of Chicago Heights School District 170, which recently opened a new state-of-the-art middle school facility in 2020 that consolidated the district's sixth through eighth graders. That facility, funded through a federal bond program, sits adjacent to Bloom Township High School in Bloom Plaza and represents a significant capital investment in the district's middle-grades experience. The district is also actively hiring bilingual teachers to staff dual-language classrooms, indicating sustained commitment to language-integrated instruction for students whose home language is Spanish.
Housing in South Chicago Heights is modestly priced and affordably rented. The village itself is growing through tax-increment financing and enterprise zone incentives that are attracting business investment and expanding housing options, though large-scale new residential development is concentrated in neighboring Chicago Heights. For families working locally or commuting to downtown Chicago, the proximity to the regional labor market and the newly constructed village police and fire station reflect ongoing investment in infrastructure.
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