The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Christa Mcauliffe School
Christa McAuliffe School is a small elementary school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Tinley Park, a mixed-use Chicago southwest suburb with a historic downtown core and expanding residential and commercial areas. The school enrolls a modest student body, with kindergarten through fifth grade representing the main cohort. The enrollment is notably homogeneous by race and ethnicity, with the vast majority of students identifying as white, alongside smaller populations of Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial students. No data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility or English learner status were available.
The school's testing results show uneven performance across grade levels and subjects. In math, third graders demonstrate the strongest showing, with proficiency near two-thirds. Fourth and fifth graders perform lower, with fifth grade math proficiency dropping to under half. English language arts follows a similar trajectory: third grade trails only slightly behind math, fourth grade proficiency dips to about half, and fifth grade hovers near half. Science proficiency at fifth grade is notably lower, around a third of students meeting the standard. Across all tested grades and subjects, participation in state assessments is very high. The school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the county's districts, a strength worth noting in the context of Cook County's range of achievement levels. However, the pattern of declining proficiency from grade three onward may warrant conversation with the school about instructional supports in the upper elementary grades, particularly in math.
The school sits within Kirby School District 140, a district that recently undertook a significant capital project. Voters approved a 2022 referendum allowing the district to replace the decades-old Fernway Park Elementary with a new, substantially larger building funded entirely from cash reserves with no property tax increase. That new building was constructed to open for the 2025-26 school year and will also house a District Early Childhood Center, centralizing preschool services and freeing classroom space at other schools across the district, including Christa McAuliffe.
Tinley Park itself is in active transition. The village describes itself as one of the fastest-growing communities in the Chicago region and has been redeveloping downtown around a music and entertainment identity. Recent projects include Harmony Square, a new downtown plaza that opened in 2025 with a concert stage and splash pad, and the Boulevard at Central Station, a large mixed-use development combining apartments and retail. The historic downtown along Oak Park Avenue is walkable and anchored by two Metra Rock Island stations, offering express commuter service to Chicago. Beyond the downtown, the village is car-oriented, with most schools and residential areas reached by automobile. The housing market shows moderate activity and pricing, with median home values above the state benchmark and mortgage affordability measured in terms of income.
A parent weighing Christa McAuliffe should understand that this is a neighborhood elementary school with strong assessment participation and proficiency results that place it above the county middle, but with a visible dip in performance as students move into fourth and fifth grade. The school serves an enrollment that skews heavily toward white students. Data on special populations and economic need are not publicly reported here, so a family seeking that information should contact the school or district directly. The broader school district is investing in infrastructure and early childhood services, changes that may affect capacity and programming over time. For families in or considering the Tinley Park area, the combination of recent downtown development, commuter rail access, and growing residential neighborhoods creates an environment of active change.
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