Whittier Elem School, Downers Grove IL

Original Research by School Decision on Whittier Elem School

Whittier Elementary is a neighborhood school serving early elementary through sixth grade in Downers Grove, a western Chicago suburb with a mix of residential areas, a downtown core anchored by the Metra commuter rail line, and significant corporate employers. The school draws from a community that is predominantly white, though with a growing Hispanic population and a smaller Asian cohort. Enrollment is modest and stable. The school is located on its own campus rather than in the downtown, following the pattern of other Downers Grove schools.

The academic picture is mixed by grade. In third grade, reading and math proficiency are both strong, with three-quarters or more of students meeting or exceeding the state standard on Illinois assessments. Fourth grade is where the pattern begins to shift: reading proficiency remains solid, but math drops noticeably. By fifth and sixth grades, proficiency in both subjects continues to decline. Sixth-grade proficiency falls below typical performance levels in both reading and math. Science proficiency in fifth grade is below where reading and math began in third grade. Across the school, all students participate in state testing, which is a strength in implementation.

The proficiency results place Whittier in the top quartile among DuPage County elementary and middle schools when looking at overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades—a positioning that reflects the school's stronger early-grade performance and the affluent character of much of Downers Grove. This county-level comparison is relevant context, though it should not mask the real decline visible within the school's own grade sequence.

The downward trend from third to sixth grade warrants attention from families. Parents may want to look into this further with the school to understand whether specific cohorts show different patterns, whether changes in instruction or support happen at particular transition points, or whether the school has identified the decline and begun addressing it. The data do not explain why this pattern occurs. The school's enrollment includes students with diverse language backgrounds, though the counts of English learners and students in special education programs were not available in the data.

Downers Grove itself is in the midst of significant change. A bond referendum approved in November 2022 is funding renovation of all school buildings in District 58 through summer 2026, including secure entry upgrades, mechanical and roofing work, and expansions to middle schools. This renovation is raising the property tax rate for district residents, a material consideration for families buying into the area. Additionally, the district is restructuring grade configurations beginning in the 2026-27 school year, moving sixth graders from elementary schools like Whittier to newly expanded middle schools. This means Whittier will transition to a PK-5 model, a structural change that affects where current families' children attend school and reduces overcrowding pressures in elementary buildings.

The housing market in Downers Grove reflects an active suburban area with home values and rents both showing modest year-over-year appreciation. The downtown is undergoing densification with new multifamily housing near the Metra station, while single-family neighborhoods continue to see high rates of teardown-and-rebuild activity. The combination of strong early-grade academics, a stable and growing community, and visible civic investment makes Downers Grove and its schools a recognized choice for families seeking suburban schools, though the academic decline visible by upper elementary grades at Whittier is something prospective families should understand clearly.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 385%

School 85% · District 78% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 39 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 467%

School 67% · District 67%

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 563%

School 63% · District 69% · ▼ 6 pts below district

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

Grade 660%

School 60% · District 63% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 376%

School 76% · District 69% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 484%

School 84% · District 76% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

Grade 568%

School 68% · District 74% · ▼ 6 pts below district

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

Grade 671%

School 71% · District 79% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 566%

School 66% · District 65% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 11 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.