Waterbury Elem School, Roselle IL

Original Research by School Decision on Waterbury Elem School

Waterbury Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Roselle, a residential northwest Chicago suburb anchored by a walkable downtown and a mix of older Craftsman homes, mid-century ranches, and newer construction. The school sits in Keeneyville School District 20, a small multi-school district serving the area.

The enrollment is modest for an elementary school, and the student body reflects the broader Roselle demographics: a majority white enrollment alongside a meaningful share of Hispanic, Asian, and smaller numbers of Black students. Demographic data on free and reduced-price lunch eligibility and students with IEPs or English learners were not available for this school.

In math, the most recent state testing (Illinois Assessment of Readiness, or IAR) shows mixed results across the grades tested. Third grade proficiency sits below the midpoint of its comparison group within DuPage County districts, while fourth grade is closer to the midpoint. Fifth grade, which also takes a science assessment, scores below the county midpoint in both subjects. The school achieved full participation in the 2024-25 assessments. In English language arts, third grade again sits below the midpoint, fourth and fifth grades are near or slightly above it. The data suggest students are meeting proficiency at rates below what many county peers achieve, particularly in the earlier grades. A parent may want to ask the school about specific supports for reading and math in third and fourth grade, where the numbers are lower.

Proficiency rates are reported at all tested grade levels with one caveat: Illinois changed the cut scores for proficiency in the 2024-25 school year, which means year-to-year trend comparisons are not available. The overall proficiency index across Waterbury's tested subjects and grades falls below the midpoint among DuPage County districts.

The district has introduced a Spanish-English Dual Language program beginning with kindergarten at Greenbrook School as of August 2023, building grade-by-grade over time. This program is not mentioned for Waterbury itself, so families interested in dual-language instruction should inquire directly or explore the Greenbrook option.

The Roselle area itself is in an active redevelopment phase. Downtown has a small core of boutique shops and locally owned restaurants anchored in part by a winery, though the village as a whole remains car-oriented. The Roselle Metra station on the Milwaukee District West Line provides commuter rail access to Chicago. Housing values in the immediate area are moderate for the Chicago suburbs; the market shows balanced supply and demand with homes turning over within a reasonable timeframe. The village has recently secured funding for a shared-use bike path and pedestrian bridge to connect downtown to the Metra station (construction slated for 2026-2027), and for pedestrian and bike improvements along Irving Park Road.

Waterbury Elementary is a regular public school serving a neighborhood population with stable residential character. Its testing results suggest room for academic growth, particularly in early grades, which is a conversation worth having with school leadership about instructional approach and support systems.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 344%

School 44% · District 38% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 44% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 31% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 339%

School 39% · District 37% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Grade 452%

School 52% · District 47% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 556%

School 56% · District 50% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Science

Grade 547%

School 47% · District 41% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

This schoolKeeneyville SD 20, 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.