Original Research by School Decision on Early Learning Center
Early Learning Center in Des Plaines serves only prekindergarten students, so it sits outside the typical academic testing and graduation metrics used to assess schools. This is not a gap in the school's reporting; it reflects the school's intended purpose as an early childhood facility.
The center opened in 2020 as the capstone of East Maine School District 63's Master Plan, a modernization effort that also included expanding full-day kindergarten access and restructuring the district's middle school. The school is housed in a dedicated building on Dee Road in Des Plaines, a newly constructed facility designed from the ground up for young learners.
Enrollment is small, appropriate to the age group, and the student body is diverse. More than a third of the students identify as Asian, with substantial representation across Hispanic, white, and multiple other racial groups. A handful of students represent each of the remaining racial categories the state tracks. Data on family income qualification, special education enrollment, and English learner status were not available for this school.
Des Plaines itself is an inner-ring suburb about seventeen miles northwest of downtown Chicago, near O'Hare International Airport. The community spans roughly fifteen square miles of mixed residential, commercial, and industrial land use. The downtown core, centered on the Metra station and Miner Street, has walkable streetscapes anchored by restaurants, shops, and civic spaces including the library and a renovated historic theater. Outside downtown, the city is more car-oriented and spread out. Major employers include Allstate, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Rivers Casino, and a cluster of logistics and office firms tied to the O'Hare market.
The housing market is moderately priced for the Chicago region. Home values in the 60016 zip code are slightly below the state average for Illinois and well below the national average. Rents are modest. The market shows normal supply relative to demand for this moment, with properties sitting on the market for a reasonable timeframe. The city is actively pursuing downtown revitalization through transit-oriented development, with new mixed-use buildings, renovated civic anchors, and townhome communities adding housing in recent years.
The broader district context matters for families evaluating Early Learning Center. Most schools in East Maine SD 63 are decades old and require significant renovations. In response, the district is pursuing a bond referendum for the November 2026 ballot that would fund major building upgrades across the system. If approved, it would increase property taxes measurably on homeowners, a lasting cost tied directly to school facility improvements. Families with young children entering Early Learning Center should be aware of this pending decision and its potential fiscal impact on their property taxes, and may wish to discuss current plans with the school and district directly.
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