T E Culbertson Elem School, Joliet IL

Original Research by School Decision on T E Culbertson Elem School

T E Culbertson Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in central Joliet, a large suburban city about forty-five miles southwest of the Chicago Loop. The school sits in a community with a mixed housing stock reflecting the city's industrial past and ongoing residential growth, with older neighborhoods on the east side and newer subdivisions spreading west. Median home values in the area are modest and have declined slightly year-over-year, while rental costs remain affordable relative to income.

The school's enrollment is small to moderate, with about equal distribution across grades. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black population and smaller representation of white and multiracial students. Demographic data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and English learners were not available, and the school designation for Title I status was also not reported.

State assessment results from the most recent year show proficiency rates below the midpoint among Will County's districts. In English language arts, third-grade students achieved proficiency at a lower rate than in math, while fourth- and fifth-grade results were mixed: fourth-grade ELA proficiency was notably low, whereas fifth-grade showed modest improvement in ELA despite lower math performance. In math across the three grades tested, proficiency clustered around the low to mid-range. Science proficiency at fifth grade was particularly low. Testing participation was complete across all measured grades and subjects. A parent may want to look into whether the school offers targeted support or intervention programs in these areas, and what academic trajectory students typically show as they progress to higher grades.

Science testing data for grades beyond fifth were not available, and no state assessment results were reported for sixth through eighth grades, which reflects that this school serves only through fifth grade and does not house middle school students.

District-wide, Joliet PSD 86 recently won voter approval for a major facilities bond in 2023 that includes replacement of two aging junior high buildings and expansions to address overcrowding at elementary schools like Jefferson. Two new junior high schools are scheduled to open for the 2026-2027 school year, signaling the district's effort to modernize aging infrastructure. This context may be relevant if a family is considering the district's trajectory and capacity over time.

The immediate housing market shows modest activity with steady listing supply and prices that have risen modestly year-over-year. Homes and rentals in the area remain affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment for a median-value home is moderate. The broader Joliet area is experiencing slower growth than in prior decades, though new residential subdivisions on the west side continue to attract families.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 28% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 423%

School 23% · District 20% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 525%

School 25% · District 16% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 332%

School 32% · District 24% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 26% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 35% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Science

Grade 518%

School 18% · District 21% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

This schoolJoliet PSD 86, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.