The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in English language arts. The lowest is 53% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Dunlap Grade School
Dunlap Grade School serves the early grades in a small village that sits at the edge of the Peoria metropolitan area and is experiencing rapid growth. The school covers pre-kindergarten through fifth grade within Dunlap CUSD 323, a district that is expanding aggressively to keep pace with new residential construction in the area.
The school enrolls a student body that is mostly white, with smaller shares of Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students. Demographic data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and English learners was not available, so a parent interested in those measures would want to contact the school directly. The school's enrollment across grade bands is relatively even, spanning from pre-K through fifth grade with modest class sizes by current enrollment.
In mathematics, the school shows a pattern of stronger performance in third grade and declining proficiency in fourth and fifth grades. Third-grade math proficiency reflects solid achievement. Fourth-grade results show a notable dip, and fifth-grade recovers slightly but remains below the third-grade level. Science performance in fifth grade sits at a level that may warrant attention; parents evaluating the school should feel welcome to ask about science curriculum and support. English language arts is a relative strength. Third-grade ELA proficiency is notably high, fourth grade shows good proficiency, and fifth grade holds steady. Overall across tested subjects and grades, Dunlap Grade School's proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Peoria County.
State testing measures attendance and graduation outcomes only for high school, so those data do not apply to an early-grades school. The school participates in Illinois state assessments with full participation rates across the grades tested.
Dunlap itself is a bedroom community experiencing active suburban growth. The village is small and walkable in its residential sections, though the commercial core spans only about sixteen blocks with limited businesses. Growth from Peoria is extending northward toward the village, and the area is undergoing significant new residential construction across multiple subdivisions. Housing in the area has appreciated modestly in recent years and remains relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks. The broader Peoria County real estate market shows moderate supply and demand, with home values and rental costs in a range accessible to working families.
The district is responding to enrollment growth with major capital investment. In October 2025, the school board authorized bonds to construct a new two-story elementary school on North Pacific Street, designed to accommodate substantial enrollment and planned to eventually replace an existing building. The district projects enrollment to rise substantially over the next decade, and current schools are operating at or above capacity. This capital project signals confidence in the area's continued growth but also means families should expect boundary changes and school configuration adjustments in coming years.
Parents considering Dunlap Grade School should understand it as part of a district in growth mode, serving an economically stable suburban community where most families own homes. The school's strength in early-grade ELA and solid overall proficiency position it well for the primary-grade years, though the decline in math performance moving from third to fourth grade is worth discussing directly with school staff to understand whether it reflects curriculum transitions, testing differences, or support strategies in place.
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