The top reported proficiency rate is 80% in English language arts. The lowest is 72% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Ivy Hall Elementary School
Ivy Hall Elementary is a modest-sized elementary school serving roughly 500 students in grades one through five across Buffalo Grove, a quiet northwest-suburban village that straddles Lake and Cook counties. The student body leans toward higher-income families: about half the enrollment is Asian, with the remainder split among white, Hispanic, and smaller groups; the free and reduced lunch data was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the economic composition. Housing values in the zip code have risen moderately, and median rents suggest many families rent rather than own, typical for an established suburban enclave in Chicagoland.
On state testing, Ivy Hall shows proficiency rates in the range of mid-to-upper 70s across math and English language arts in grades three through five, with English slightly outpacing math. Third grade math proficiency sits in the upper range, while fourth grade math dips into the mid-60s—a pattern that suggests students find the transition to upper elementary computational demands challenging. By fifth grade, both math and English bounce back, with English proficiency especially strong. Science proficiency in fifth grade is solid at about three-quarters of students meeting or exceeding the standard. State testing data for sixth through eighth grades is not reported because the school serves only grades one through five; students advance to middle schools elsewhere in the district for those grades.
Compared to other districts across Lake County, Ivy Hall's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, a strength that reflects consistent performance across subjects and a school that is doing well by the broader county reference. Graduation rates and chronic absenteeism data do not apply to an elementary school.
Ivy Hall is part of Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96, which spans Buffalo Grove and nearby communities. The district has recently invested in new STEM-focused "Collaboratory" spaces at its two middle schools, featuring makerspaces and recording studios—a signal that the district is upgrading how it teaches science and technology. The district also operates an optional Spanish/English dual language program that runs from kindergarten through the grade span, with families entering via lottery; a student at Ivy Hall who participates would continue through the program if the family and school determine it is a good fit.
Buffalo Grove itself is experiencing modest redevelopment. The Clove, a mixed-use project on the former Town Center site, is bringing new apartments, retail, and a park to what was once a dispersed suburban landscape. Population has held steady rather than grown over the past two decades, which means the school operates in a stable, somewhat mature community rather than a rapidly expanding one. The village has two Metra stations offering commuter rail access to Chicago, parks and trail systems, and two library systems serving overlapping portions of the community.
A parent evaluating Ivy Hall should know that it is a solid elementary performer with above-county proficiency rates, serving a diverse student body in a family-oriented suburb with established schools and low-key civic life. The school's strength in English proficiency, especially in grades four and five, is a clear asset. Fourth grade math proficiency is the softer spot, and a parent may want to discuss with the school what support or intervention is in place for students who are not yet meeting the standard in that subject and grade. Since the school does not have a high-needs student-support profile visible in the data, Ivy Hall appears to serve a general elementary population; families with students requiring specialized services should confirm the district's special education and English learner offerings directly with the school.
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