Clarence E Culver School, Niles IL

Original Research by School Decision on Clarence E Culver School

Clarence E Culver School is the single school serving Niles Elementary School District 71, a one-school PK-8 district in Niles, Illinois. The school serves a mixed-income residential suburb on Chicago's northwest edge, known for significant retail and commercial development alongside established neighborhoods and notable ethnic diversity. The district itself is straightforward: one building, shared resources, one set of families.

The school's academic profile shows a split performance pattern. In English language arts, the school demonstrates clear strength in the upper grades, with eighth-graders reaching proficiency well above the midpoint and fifth and sixth graders showing solid attainment as well. Third and fourth grade ELA proficiency sits lower, suggesting some students need catch-up support in the elementary years. Mathematics proficiency runs flatter across all tested grades, hovering in the low-to-mid range through grades three through seven, with a notable improvement to mid-range level in eighth grade. Science results at fifth grade are below midrange; eighth grade science is stronger. Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint among Cook County districts, a meaningful position. The data carries a note that cut scores changed in 2024-25, so year-to-year trend comparison is unreliable.

The student body numbers roughly mid-sized for the grade band, with representation that skews toward white and Asian students, a substantial Hispanic population, and smaller shares of Black students and other groups. Free-and-reduced-price-lunch data was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the economic makeup of the enrollment and what supports exist for lower-income families.

A major physical upgrade arrived in September 2024: completion of a substantial addition and renovation adding roughly that many square feet. The new facilities include a full-sized gymnasium with stage, a dedicated preschool wing with outdoor play space, a fine arts center housing art, band, orchestra and music classrooms, two STEAM classrooms, three general-purpose rooms, and an expanded library. This expansion materially changes what the school can offer. The project was financed without raising property taxes, drawing from fund balances and new revenue from an expiring tax-increment financing district, so families did not bear a tax burden. For parents considering the school, the fresh facilities and room for growth matter.

The town of Niles itself is in redevelopment. Population has been slowly declining, but the village is undertaking its largest building push in decades, anchored by a major mixed-use transformation of the Golf Mill mall and smaller infill housing and restaurant projects along Milwaukee Avenue. This growth context is worth noting: the area is actively reshaping, with new housing and local amenities being added, which may affect both the school's enrollment trajectory and the character of the community.

One gap in the available data: information about special education services, English learner supports, staffing, classroom size, attendance, discipline, or specific curriculum offerings was not accessible. A parent would want to contact the school to understand what services are available for students with documented needs and how the teaching approach aligns with their family's expectations.

The school has no graduation rate because it serves only through eighth grade. A parent whose child will attend high school after Culver would want to understand the transition pathway and which high school or schools serve the district's eighth-grade completers.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 340%

School 40% · District 40%

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 442%

School 42% · District 42%

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 543%

School 43% · District 43%

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 643%

School 43% · District 43%

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 743%

School 43% · District 43%

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 854%

School 54% · District 54%

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 43%

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 463%

School 63% · District 63%

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 567%

School 67% · District 67%

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 668%

School 68% · District 68%

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 751%

School 51% · District 51%

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 880%

School 80% · District 80%

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Science

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 48%

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 875%

School 75% · District 75%

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 48 pts above county median

This schoolNiles ESD 71, 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.