Cumberland Elem School, Des Plaines IL

Original Research by School Decision on Cumberland Elem School

Cumberland Elementary serves about three hundred students in kindergarten through fifth grade in Des Plaines, a transit-accessible suburb about seventeen miles northwest of downtown Chicago. The school sits at the heart of the district's transition period: the district is shifting to full-day kindergarten in the coming school year, and has anchored itself to a new five-year strategic plan adopted in 2024 that emphasizes academic growth, inclusive learning culture, and family engagement.

The school's test results show solid reading proficiency in the tested grades. Third-grade students perform strong in English language arts, while fourth and fifth graders show consistent gains. In math, third graders perform above the median among Cook County districts overall; fourth and fifth graders show solid proficiency as well, though fourth grade math is lower. Science proficiency in fifth grade is notably below the school's performance in reading and math, suggesting an area where teaching or testing outcomes may warrant a parent conversation with the school. Across tested grades, the school sits in the top quartile of Cook County districts on an overall proficiency measure, a meaningful strength. State assessment cuts changed in the most recent testing cycle, so trend data is not yet available to show whether performance is rising or falling.

The enrollment is stable and diverse. The student body is majority white, with substantial shares of Asian and Hispanic students and smaller shares of Black students. Specific counts of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch or qualifying for special education or English learner services were not reported in the data; a parent may want to ask the school directly about the size of those populations and what support systems are in place.

Des Plaines itself is a mixed-use suburb experiencing downtown revitalization around its Metra station, with major employers including Rivers Casino, Allstate, and transportation and healthcare hubs tied to O'Hare. The housing market is moderately valued, with median home prices reflecting solid suburban demand. Schools here sit on separated campuses rather than in the downtown core; buses and family car transport are the primary way families reach them.

The nearest Metra station, Cumberland, is on East Northwest Highway and serves the Union Pacific Northwest line. Public bus routes link the suburb to O'Hare and Evanston. The neighborhood is car-oriented outside the downtown transit corridor, typical of Cook County inner-ring suburbs.

Cumberland Elementary is part of CCSD 62, a district serving about two thousand students across Des Plaines and nearby areas. With solid test results placing it above the county midpoint, strong reading outcomes, and a diverse peer group, the school offers a conventional elementary pathway. The upcoming shift to full-day kindergarten and the district's stated focus on academic readiness for high school suggest a straightforward, mainstream instructional approach. Parents choosing this school are selecting a neighborhood elementary with solid fundamentals rather than a specialized program or alternative model.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 382%

School 82% · District 63% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

Grade 461%

School 61% · District 53% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

Grade 570%

School 70% · District 46% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 41 pts above state median · ▲ 49 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 386%

School 86% · District 63% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 49 pts above county median

Grade 473%

School 73% · District 59% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 581%

School 81% · District 64% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Science

Grade 562%

School 62% · District 41% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

This schoolCCSD 62, 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.