The top reported proficiency rate is 84% in English language arts. The lowest is 66% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Jackson Elem School
Jackson Elementary is a small public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Elmhurst, a compact residential suburb of Chicago in DuPage County. The school enrolls just under 450 students spread across six grades, with the largest cohorts in third and fourth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with meaningful representation from Hispanic and Asian families, while the school does not report free-or-reduced-price lunch status or counts of students with individualized education plans or English learners.
On state assessments administered in the most recent school year, Jackson's elementary grades show a landscape of strong fundamentals mixed with areas needing attention. Third grade math proficiency reached a very high level, while third grade English language arts came in solidly above 80 percent. Fourth grade tells a different story: math proficiency dropped sharply, while English language arts held in the mid-to-upper 70s. Fifth grade math recovered to the high 70s, and English language arts stayed strong in the high 80s. In science, fifth grade proficiency came in at a below-midpoint level. The school does not have testing results in grades six through eight because it serves only elementary grades.
Across tested subjects and grades, Jackson's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile compared to other elementary schools and school buildings in DuPage County, a meaningful position. Fourth grade math performance may be worth exploring with the school: a parent considering Jackson should ask directly what the school sees as driving that dip and what supports are in place for students working below proficiency in that grade.
Elmhurst SD 205, the district housing Jackson, has been rebuilding its elementary facilities and reworking how instruction happens. Two brand-new school buildings opened at Lincoln and Field Elementary in late 2022 and 2023 following a successful referendum, bringing full-day kindergarten classrooms, dedicated STEM space, and updated security and technology infrastructure. The district has also launched a two-way Spanish-English immersion program at Conrad Fischer Elementary that now extends into the middle grades, giving families a K-8 bilingual pathway where none existed before. Middle school scheduling was restructured so that science and social studies run all year rather than one semester each, a pedagogical shift that alters how students experience their daily load.
Jackson's location in Elmhurst places it in a community in steady transit-oriented redevelopment. Downtown Elmhurst, anchored by the York Street corridor near the Metra station, is genuinely walkable with restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, and the historic York Theatre. The Elmhurst Public Library, Elmhurst Art Museum, and Wilder Park sit a few blocks away, integrated into the city street grid rather than on separated campuses. Housing costs in the area are well above the national median; home values and rents have been climbing modestly. The job market is anchored by healthcare (Edward-Elmhurst, now part of Endeavor Health), the school district itself, and industrial distribution (McMaster-Carr), with unemployment rates holding steady. Major civic events, including one of the region's largest St. Patrick's Day parades, draw residents and visitors to downtown.
Jackson sits in an elementary district with strong bones and deliberate modernization. The question for a parent considering enrollment is whether fourth grade mathematics instruction and support align with their child's learning profile, and whether the school's curriculum and daily rhythm fit what they are looking for in an elementary experience.
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