The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in Math. The lowest is 10% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Edison Primary School
Edison Primary School serves kindergarten through third grade in Kankakee, part of Kankakee School District 111. The school enrolls a small population of students across these early grades, with the third-grade cohort notably larger than the earlier grades. The student body is predominantly Black, with a meaningful Hispanic population and smaller shares of white, multiracial, and Asian students. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and special education enrollment were not available.
The most recent state assessment data available covers only third grade. In math, proficiency was low; in English language arts, proficiency was similarly low. These results sit in the bottom quartile when compared to other schools across Kankakee County. Testing participation was complete for both subjects. It bears noting that the school only has third-grade state assessment results because kindergarten through second grade are not tested under Illinois' statewide assessment system. The assessment itself underwent cut-score changes in the most recent year, which can affect year-to-year comparison; parents may want to ask the school directly about academic trajectory and what support structures exist for students who fall below proficiency.
Kankakee itself is a mid-sized Illinois city about fifty miles south of Chicago, with a downtown historic district anchoring civic life and surrounding neighborhoods of older single-family houses. The local economy blends healthcare, manufacturing, education, and services. The housing market shows home values at moderate affordability relative to national benchmarks, with rental costs also moderate. Recent civic development includes new affordable housing and downtown mixed-use projects, though the county has seen limited residential construction over the past decade.
The district has signaled significant changes ahead. In 2025 it commissioned a full curriculum and instructional audit paired with a coming strategic plan refresh, meaning what and how Edison teaches may shift substantially in the near term. Property tax levies have risen consecutively, a recurring cost consideration for households in the district. The district ended uniforms at the high school level and tightened requirements for walking at graduation, both cultural shifts parents should know about even if they affect older grades directly.
Edison Primary is a neighborhood school serving early grades in a city with a working economy and civic anchors, facing real academic challenges in tested grades that merit direct conversation with school leadership about remediation, support, and instructional direction as the district's broader curriculum work unfolds.
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