The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in English language arts. The lowest is 51% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Peotone Elem School
Peotone Elementary School is a small K-3 public school in the far south suburbs, located in a rural, farming-oriented part of Will County roughly 40 miles south of Chicago. The school sits in a walkable historic village core centered on Main and Second Streets, with newer residential subdivisions nearby. The village is positioned for growth after a period of stagnation, with utility infrastructure extending west of I-57 to open land for development and several new home subdivisions recently built.
The school's recent test results show a mixed academic picture. In third grade, where the only available state assessment data appears, reading proficiency was just above midpoint for the county's schools, while math proficiency was closer to the county median. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency sits above the midpoint among Will County districts, though the data gaps for grades above third reflect the school's K-3 mission. The school does test and report all enrolled students, so participation is complete in the grades where testing occurs.
Enrollment is small, around 300 students across four grade levels, with the student body predominantly white and about a quarter Hispanic. Specific counts for free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education, and English learner status were not available in the data provided. The school is a traditional public elementary, not a charter or magnet school. Title I status was not reported. The school feeds into Peotone Intermediate Center for grades 4-5 and then Peotone Junior High.
The district is navigating significant financial and structural change. Public hearings were recently held on the closure of Peotone Intermediate Center at the end of the current school year, which would consolidate roughly students currently there back into elementary and junior high buildings. The district has implemented a Reduction-in-Force to address a deficit, pausing planned spending on facility improvements, textbook purchases, and technology upgrades. A bond-funded sports complex project has also been paused after substantial architectural and engineering costs. These district-level constraints affect staffing, materials, and facility quality across all schools including this elementary building.
Peotone itself is a self-consciously small town with recent mayor-led calls for new subdivision development and a redevelopment plan that explicitly targets housing growth and retail vitality after years of stagnation. Civic life is anchored in the historic downtown where the school is located, the public library, and the Will County Fairgrounds just outside town. The nearest Metra commuter rail is in University Park, a short drive north. Most residents who work outside Peotone commute to logistics and manufacturing employers in nearby south suburbs or to the Chicago metro.
Housing values in the broader Will County market have been rising modestly. The median home value in the school's zip code is in the mid-hundreds of thousands, with year-over-year growth in the single digits. Mortgage rates are in the mid-6 percent range. The median days on market in the county has shortened over the past year, suggesting moderately active buyer interest.
A parent considering this school should understand it as an early-elementary building with solid but not standout test results, serving a small and stable community in the midst of modest growth planning. The district's current financial pressures and pending facility consolidation are real constraints on resources and stability that may warrant direct conversation with school leadership about near-term changes and their classroom impact.
See more original research from School Decision →