Kingsley Elem School, Downers Grove IL

Original Research by School Decision on Kingsley Elem School

Kingsley Elementary serves a mixed-income residential neighborhood in Downers Grove as part of Downers Grove GSD 58, a district undergoing major change. The school enrolls a small student body across pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, with a student composition that is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, and Asian students. Specific data on students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and on English learners were not available.

The school's test results show uneven performance across grade levels. In English Language Arts, third graders score notably below grade level, with roughly four in ten meeting proficiency standards. Performance improves sharply by fourth grade and continues to strengthen in fifth grade, where results move toward the upper range. By sixth grade, results drop somewhat but remain solid. In mathematics, a similar pattern appears: third and fourth graders show proficiency rates in the mid-range, fifth grade shows notably stronger results, and sixth grade dips. Science was tested only in fifth grade, where results align with that grade's strong ELA and math outcomes. The school participates fully in state testing with no gaps in participation. One important note: the state recently changed its proficiency benchmarks, so year-to-year comparisons with prior years are not straightforward.

Against the county's districts, Kingsley's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint—a signal that families should look into how the school's teaching approach, pacing, and student support systems address the earlier-grade softness in reading and math. The improvement visible by fifth grade suggests the school does build capacity over time, but the early-grade results warrant direct conversation with the school about curriculum, intervention strategies, and instructional methods.

The broader context matters here. Downers Grove GSD 58 is in the midst of substantial structural and capital change. Voters approved a major bond referendum in 2022 that funded renovation of all thirteen school buildings, with work completing through summer 2026. More significantly, the district is transitioning from a model where sixth graders remained in elementary schools to a new configuration where sixth graders move to middle school starting in 2026-27. That shift affects where students go to school and is intended to ease crowding in elementaries. All of this creates both opportunity and transition for families. The renovations will modernize facilities, but the middle-school move means a student now in Kingsley's fifth grade will attend a different building starting next year.

The housing market in Downers Grove reflects the broader suburban Chicago trajectory. Home values are substantial, with a median in the low-to-mid five figures, and monthly rents are in the mid-range for the metropolitan area. The town itself combines a historic, walkable downtown centered on the BNSF Metra station with conventional suburban neighborhoods further out. Schools sit on their own campuses in the neighborhoods rather than downtown. The area is densifying with new apartment buildings near the station and continues to see significant teardown-and-rebuild activity in single-family blocks. If housing affordability is a consideration, families should factor the school bond increase in their property tax burden.

For a parent evaluating Kingsley, the question is whether the school's current early-grade results and the district's transition year align with your family's needs. The visible growth by fifth grade is encouraging, but those third and fourth grade numbers are real and suggest either a cohort-specific pattern or an area where the school may benefit from closer scrutiny. A conversation with the school about literacy and math support, small-group instruction, and how they help younger students gain traction would be the natural next step.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 352%

School 52% · District 78% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 67% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 571%

School 71% · District 69% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 41 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 63% · ▼ 14 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 339%

School 39% · District 69% · ▼ 30 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 457%

School 57% · District 76% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 579%

School 79% · District 74% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 669%

School 69% · District 79% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Science

Grade 571%

School 71% · District 65% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 34 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

This schoolDowners Grove GSD 58, 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income46%Higher-income50%5 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income27%Higher-income47%20 pp gap