The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in English language arts. The lowest is 66% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Eugene Field Elem School
Eugene Field Elementary is a small regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Park Ridge, a built-out residential suburb northwest of Chicago. The school sits on its own campus in a neighborhood rather than in the heart of the community's Uptown district, and draws students from a distinctly affluent and predominantly white residential area.
The student body is primarily white, with smaller shares of Asian, Hispanic, two or more races, and Black students. Income data was not available in the records, but the community context shows homes in the zip code substantially above state and national medians, with median rent also well above typical benchmarks. Property values have been rising, and the community is marked by Victorian, Georgian, and modern residential architecture on tree-lined streets. This is a neighborhood where housing costs are high and the economic base is secure, anchored by nearby Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and employer institutions including the school district itself.
In academic performance on Illinois state assessments, the school shows strength in grades three and four, particularly in English language arts where third-grade proficiency is in the mid-range and fourth-grade proficiency is strong. Fourth-grade math also performs well. Fifth grade marks a shift: English language arts proficiency remains strong, but math proficiency drops notably. Fifth-grade science proficiency is in the mid-range. The school sits in the top quartile among Cook County districts on overall proficiency, which is a strength. Grade six and above have no state testing results reported, which is expected because the school serves only grades K-5.
A parent interested in math instruction should know that District 64 adopted the Eureka Math² curriculum in 2022-23, a shift that came with community discussion about whether some families found the program difficult to support at home. This district-wide adoption affects all elementary schools in the system. State assessment results also show that fifth-grade math is a softer spot compared to earlier grades, so a family considering the school might find it useful to discuss that pattern with the principal.
The wider district context matters here: in November 2024, voters approved a substantial bond referendum that will fund facility upgrades across all seven schools, including safety and security improvements, HVAC and electrical updates, classroom renovations, and special education space additions. These are multi-year projects that will both shape the school experience and increase local property tax obligations. For families buying homes in the area, this is a material cost consideration.
The enrollment is small for an elementary school, with roughly equal grades of about a hundred students each from kindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is relatively stable and drawn from the immediate neighborhood. Civil-rights data on students with disabilities or English learners was not available in state records.
Park Ridge itself is a residential community with a walkable downtown district anchored by a Metra station, the historic Pickwick Theatre, local shops and restaurants, and a public library. Outside that core, the character is residential and quiet. The town is built out and mature rather than growing; new development is mostly infill and condo or townhome projects in and around the transit corridors. For school-age families, the appeal is the established neighborhood feel, proximity to Chicago via transit, and the stability of a school system with a long history in an affluent suburb.
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