The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in English language arts. The lowest is 49% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Olson Park Elem School
Olson Park Elementary serves grades one through six in Machesney Park, a suburban village just north of Rockford along the Rock River. The school is part of Harlem UD 122, a district now navigating significant structural change.
The enrollment is small for an elementary building, with roughly equal or smaller cohorts across the lower grades and somewhat larger grades four through six. The student body is predominantly white, with meaningful representation from Hispanic, multiracial, and Black families. The school serves the full income spectrum; data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility was not provided, so families may want to ask about Title I funding status and student support services directly.
On state assessment results, Olson Park shows mixed performance. In grade three and four, reading proficiency sits around middle range, with grade four notably stronger in reading than in math. By grade five, math proficiency drops substantially, while reading holds closer to half of students meeting the standard. Science proficiency in grade five also falls below half. Grade six data was not reported; this reflects either how state testing is administered or the district's interim reorganization. The overall proficiency index across all tested grades and subjects places the school above the median among Winnebago County elementary schools, a modest strength given the challenging demographics and local economic context.
Attendance and discipline data were not available in the reporting. The school does not appear to be designated as Title I, though this should be verified with the district.
A critical context is that Olson Park Elementary is slated to close at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. The Harlem school board approved this closure in January 2026 as part of a broader response to falling enrollment, underutilized buildings, and a substantial budget deficit. Students from Olson Park will be reassigned to other elementary buildings beginning in the 2026-2027 school year under the district's new two-grade-span model, where elementary schools will serve K-1, 2-3, or 4-5 rather than traditional K-5 buildings. The district has published an interactive boundary tool showing where each student's new school will be.
For families currently at Olson Park or considering the school, the closure means any child starting here now will transition to a new building in roughly two years. The two-grade-span model is a pedagogical shift that concentrates grades rather than spreading them; families may want to understand how this affects their child's experience and peer groupings. The district is also substantially reducing Early Childhood enrollment from its prior capacity, so if Pre-K access was part of your planning, that opportunity is narrowing significantly.
Machesney Park itself is an auto-oriented suburban village experiencing active commercial and residential redevelopment. Housing values are moderate and have risen year-over-year, with mortgage affordability and rent-to-income ratios squarely in the working-family range. Employment in the area centers on manufacturing, retail, and health care, with major regional employers including aerospace and defense firms, logistics companies, and health systems serving the broader Rockford area. Public transit exists through the Rockford Mass Transit District, though the village is built around car travel on arterial roads like Route 173 rather than walkable neighborhoods.
This is a stable, working-class community in transition. Olson Park has delivered middle-of-the-pack proficiency in the county context, but its imminent closure and the district's broader consolidation mean families should have clear-eyed conversations with Harlem 122 about timing, transition planning, and how the new grade-span model will serve their child's needs.
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