Talala Elementary School, Park Forest IL

Original Research by School Decision on Talala Elementary School

Talala Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Park Forest, a planned post-WWII suburb south of Chicago with strong civic infrastructure and parks. The school enrolls a small to mid-sized cohort across six grade levels, with a student body that is majority Black, followed by a substantial Hispanic enrollment, and very few white students. Specific data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility was not available, so the economic profile of the school's families remains unclear from the information provided.

On state testing, Talala's proficiency results across math and English language arts are low. In third grade, where the school tested students in both subjects, math proficiency was in the low range and ELA proficiency was lower still. Fourth and fifth grade results followed similar patterns, with particularly weak math proficiency in fourth grade. The school tested a subset of students on science in fifth grade, with results comparable to its reading and math performance. These results place the school in the bottom quartile of proficiency when compared against other districts in Will County. The data note that Illinois changed its proficiency cut scores in the subjects tested, so trend comparisons to prior years are not yet reliable, and the school has only data from the most recent school year. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what instructional changes or support strategies are in place.

Park Forest itself is characterized by abundant parks and civic anchors, including the Park Forest Aqua Center, Freedom Hall (a municipal cultural-arts venue), and easy access to three Metra commuter rail stations with service to downtown Chicago. The village is car-dependent but residents describe it as family-friendly and peaceful. The DownTown district is undergoing infill development, including a new affordable multi-family apartment complex. Housing values in the area are moderate and have risen modestly; rents have stabilized. Single-family home construction remains modest.

The Crete-Monee school district, which enrolls Talala, has invested in facility upgrades and curriculum enhancements across its schools. A multi-year Short-Term Facility Improvement Plan is replacing water infrastructure, electrical systems, and HVAC at multiple buildings. The district also expanded hands-on STEM learning through SmartLabs at the elementary level. The district opened a new Warrior Stadium Sportsplex at the high school in fall 2025. A bond referendum for new elementary schools proposed in 2021 did not advance, so existing elementary buildings remain in use.

Talala's academic performance data are limited to one year and show consistent low proficiency across tested subjects and grades. The school's enrollment is demographically concentrated and small relative to the grade band. Parents considering Talala should seek conversation with school leadership about current instructional priorities, assessment outcomes, and any targeted interventions underway to strengthen core academics.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 322%

School 22% · District 28% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

Grade 410%

School 10% · District 20% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 39 pts below county median

Grade 510%

School 10% · District 16% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 33% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 42 pts below county median

Grade 414%

School 14% · District 34% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 43 pts below county median

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 47% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 44 pts below county median

Science

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 23% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

This schoolCrete Monee CUSD 201U, 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.