The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in English language arts. The lowest is 49% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Old Post Elementary School
Old Post Elementary School is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Oswego, a fast-growing exurban community about an hour west of Chicago in Kendall County. The school enrolls a small-to-mid-sized cohort with a notably diverse demographic profile: roughly a quarter of the student body identifies as Hispanic, a tenth as Black, a small share as Asian, and the majority as White. Socioeconomic status data was not available, so a parent looking for clarity on the share of families receiving free or reduced-price lunch would want to contact the school directly.
Academic performance sits below the state middle ground. On the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, third-grade students showed proficiency rates in math and English language arts just above or near half the students tested. Fourth- and fifth-graders performed somewhat lower in math, with fewer than half reaching proficiency, though fourth-grade ELA results were stronger. Fifth-grade science proficiency was in the mid-to-low range. Participation rates across these assessments were consistently high, indicating that the school is testing the vast majority of its enrollment. State assessment measures changed their proficiency standards since the previous year, so trend data over time is not yet available to show whether these results represent a change or the school's established pattern. A parent considering the school should ask the administration directly about how these current results align with the school's own internal assessments and their reading of where students stand.
Old Post is situated within Oswego Community Unit School District 308, which in 2022 adopted new project-based inquiry curricula in both K-5 social studies and junior high math, with materials available in English and Spanish. That represents a pedagogical shift affecting daily instruction across the district. The district is also contemplating a substantial facilities bond referendum for the November 2026 ballot to address aging infrastructure across schools built during the early-2000s growth period; because the district will simultaneously retire existing debt, property-tax bills for homeowners are expected to shift, with projected decreases in the debt-service portion of taxes starting in 2028. For families buying or renting in Oswego, this is material context.
Oswego itself is a suburb undergoing rapid residential expansion. The village more than doubled in size over the past few decades and closed 2024 with a large number of new residential permits. The Route 34 commercial corridor dominates daily retail life, and the historic downtown along the Fox River serves as a smaller civic anchor with walkable streets, but most residents navigate a car-dependent landscape. New housing subdivisions, including a major single-family development breaking ground in mid-2024, are contributing to school-aged population growth. Home values and rental costs have risen steadily and sit above state benchmarks, reflecting both the suburban proximity to the Chicago region and the pace of new construction.
When compared against other districts in Kendall County, Old Post's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades falls above the midpoint, a position worth noting given the lower individual results in math. The school's location within a growing exurban district with evolving curriculum and pending facilities decisions means families here are part of a community in active transition.
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