The top reported proficiency rate is 14% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Crosby Elem Sch
Crosby Elementary serves kindergarten through third grade in Harvard, a small city in northwest McHenry County near the Wisconsin border with a rural, small-town character rooted in its dairy heritage. The school enrolled a small number of students across its four grade bands, with the student body heavily Hispanic, a minority of white students, and very small numbers of other racial and ethnic groups. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility and on special education or English learner populations were not available.
On the 2024-25 Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), only third grade was tested at Crosby. Third-grade proficiency in English language arts fell well below the state standard, and third-grade math proficiency also came in considerably low. The school offers no testing data for grades above third because it does not serve those grades. State testing data for earlier grades (K through 2) were not available, as Illinois does not administer state assessments at those grade levels.
Compared to other districts in McHenry County, Crosby's overall proficiency index placed it in the bottom quartile, meaning the school sits among the lower performers in the county on tested measures. Without multiyear trend data, it is not possible to determine whether proficiency has been stable, declining, or improving. A parent may want to look into further detail with the school about what instructional supports are in place for third graders and what the pathway looks like for students moving into upper elementary grades at other buildings in the district.
The district itself, Harvard CUSD 50, made a significant operational change beginning in the 2023-24 school year by opening the HIVE alternative education program in-house for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. Previously, students requiring that level of support were bused to programs in Elgin and Rockford. For families whose children need specialized behavioral or emotional services, having a program available locally rather than far away represents a meaningful shift in district capacity.
Harvard's housing market remains a seller's market, with home values stable to modestly appreciating. The town itself has had a largely flat trajectory since a major Motorola manufacturing plant closed two decades ago, though recent small-scale residential development and civic anchors like the public library and Lion Park continue to anchor community life. The town is the northern terminus of Metra's Union Pacific Northwest Line, providing daily rail service to downtown Chicago.
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