The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in English language arts. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Medgar Evers Primary Acadmc Cntr
Medgar Evers Primary Academic Center serves students in prekindergarten through fourth grade in Ford Heights, a small, majority-Black village in the south suburbs of Cook County. The school sits within a residential community marked by sustained economic hardship and population decline. Housing values in the zip code are moderate and rents have risen; the broader county market shows more inventory than demand.
The school's academic performance is very low. In the 2024-25 school year, the few students tested in grades three and four showed proficiency rates in the low single digits in both mathematics and English language arts. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the district's comparisons in Cook County. These results are unambiguous and represent a significant academic challenge. Because Medgar Evers serves only through fourth grade and the state does not test kindergarten through second grade, proficiency data do not exist for the younger cohorts; a parent may want to ask the school directly about reading and math instruction in the early grades, where foundational skills are built.
The student body is small, around that size typical of a primary building. Students are almost entirely Black, with a small Hispanic enrollment. Enrollment data show a small prekindergarten cohort and declining numbers in the upper primary grades; the school reported only one student in fifth grade. The school does not report free-or-reduced-price lunch counts or data on students with individualized education plans or English learners, so no picture of economic vulnerability or language-support needs is available from state sources.
Ford Heights itself is in long-term decline, with a population that has shrunk substantially since its mid-twentieth-century peak. The community has high poverty, limited employment, and a housing stock of modest single-family homes built mainly in the mid-to-late 1900s. The municipality has pursued affordable housing rehabilitation and community development initiatives in partnership with Cook County, but the village offers few local jobs or commercial anchors. Nearby institutions include two community colleges within a short drive. Civic life centers on churches and municipal services along Lincoln Highway rather than a traditional downtown. Residents rely on Pace bus service for transportation; there is no commuter rail.
The school is part of Ford Heights School District 169, a small district serving prekindergarten through eighth grade. Recent district-level changes or strategic initiatives were not documented in available sources, so a reader interested in the district's goals, budget direction, or curriculum work would benefit from visiting the district office or website directly.
Given the very low state test results and the small upper-grade enrollment, this is a school where academic needs are substantial and where a family's ability to supplement instruction at home or access outside support may matter significantly to a child's path.
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