The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in English language arts. The lowest is 52% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Elizabeth Eichelberger Elem Sch
Elizabeth Eichelberger Elementary is a public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Plainfield, a rapidly growing southwest Chicago suburb in Will County. The school enrolls roughly a moderate number of students across its grade bands, with a notably diverse student body spanning White, Hispanic, Asian, Black, and multiracial families.
The school's academic performance shows a mixed profile across tested grades. In English language arts, third graders show just above half proficiency, while fourth and fifth graders perform solidly in the mid-60s range on state assessments. Math proficiency tells a different story: third graders reach near two-thirds proficiency, but that drops sharply by fifth grade to just above two-fifths. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits just above half. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly regarding the steeper decline in math performance as students move through the upper elementary grades. Data on free and reduced lunch eligibility and on English learner and special education counts was not available, so the full picture of student supports and needs remains incomplete.
The school sits within Plainfield SD 202, a district experiencing substantial growth and facing fiscal headwinds. The district recently rolled out a redesigned kindergarten model with dedicated paraprofessionals in every classroom, a shift that began in fall 2025. However, the district was reclassified from a higher-funding tier to a lower one under Illinois' state formula, resulting in publicly reported annual state funding reductions that district leadership says are likely to compound and may force staffing and program reductions starting in 2026-27. This signals potential pressure on class sizes and electives in coming years, a factor worth discussing directly with the school or district office.
The broader community context is one of rapid expansion. Plainfield ranks among the fastest-growing communities in Illinois, with new residential subdivisions, including major projects like Greenbriar, Leighton Pointe, and Riverstone, continuing to expand the village. Housing values and rents in the zip code remain moderate relative to broader Chicago-area benchmarks, though median home values have climbed noticeably year-over-year. The village itself has a historic downtown along Lockport Street, but most new school facilities, including this one, sit in separated subdivision settings rather than in the walkable core.
The district also made a high school boundary change approved by a narrow board vote in late 2025, effective for the 2026-27 school year, to address overcrowding at Plainfield North. This does not directly affect elementary students now, but families should be aware that where a home's address sits could determine high school assignment in the future, particularly if buying in one of the ten affected subdivisions.
For an incoming family, Eichelberger offers a mainstream elementary setting in a growing community with solid fourth- and fifth-grade literacy results but softer upper-elementary math performance. The broader district context is one of growth alongside fiscal constraint and staffing uncertainty in the near term. The school itself operates within an enrollment-stable elementary model, but families would benefit from direct conversation with the school about the math performance trend and the effects of upcoming district budget pressures.
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