The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in English language arts. The lowest is 42% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Devonshire School
Devonshire School is a neighborhood elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Des Plaines, a Chicago suburb about a short drive northwest of downtown, near O'Hare. The school enrolls a small student body with a notably diverse racial and ethnic makeup: roughly a quarter Hispanic, a fifth Asian, and the balance split among white, Black, and other groups. The school sits in a community that has been actively revitalizing its downtown core through transit-oriented development, with the Metra station and bus connections anchoring walkability in the city center.
Academic performance data is available only for third, fourth, and fifth grades, the only grades the state tests at this school. Results are mixed. Fourth graders show the strongest performance, with roughly three-fifths meeting or exceeding state proficiency standards in English language arts and math. Third graders and fifth graders perform at lower levels, with proficiency rates ranging from around two-fifths to one-half across the two subjects. Fifth-grade science proficiency sits around two-fifths. Across the tested grades, English language arts results are marginally stronger than math. The school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among Cook County schools, though a parent may want to look deeper into how these results compare to specific neighboring schools and whether they reflect the school's instructional choices, student demographics, or both.
The state assessment itself changed cut scores for the school year these results reflect, which means comparing them directly to prior years is not straightforward. District-level context helps: in 2023, the school board rejected a major reorganization plan that would have created separate grade-level centers and redistricted attendance. The board's decision preserved traditional K-5 neighborhood schools like Devonshire, and the district's year-round school-of-choice program at Ridge Family Center for Learning. Both of these choices shape how families experience the district. Additionally, a board majority elected in 2023 with a different vision for the district did not renew the superintendent's contract in 2025, signaling a shift in direction that prospective families should be aware of. Starting in the 2024-25 school year, junior high students must store cellphones in lockers during the school day, a discipline and pedagogy change worth noting for families with older elementary-age children.
Devonshire's enrollment is small, distributed across six grades. Specific data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, English learner population, or students with IEPs was not available, so a parent seeking to understand how the school serves students with varying needs or economic circumstances would want to ask the school directly. The school website address was not provided in the available data, but the school's street address is 1401 Pennsylvania Ave, Des Plaines.
Housing in the 60018 zip code around Des Plaines reflects modest appreciation and steady market conditions. Median home values in the area have climbed modestly year over year, and median listing prices sit in the mid-range for Cook County suburbs. Rents and home prices remain relatively affordable compared to the national median, though mortgage rates remain elevated. The community itself is mixed-use, with downtown revitalization underway and residential neighborhoods spreading out from the urban core. The Metra station and Pace bus system offer transit access for families who commute into the city or surrounding areas.
Devonshire appears to be a stable, well-integrated neighborhood school in a community actively investing in walkable, transit-connected development. Its student body is diverse and its academic performance sits in the middle range for the county. Families considering this school should understand the recent district governance shifts, verify current special-population services with the school, and weigh whether neighborhood school enrollment and the traditional K-5 structure align with their preferences.
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