The top reported proficiency rate is 94% in English language arts. The lowest is 85% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Elem School
Lincoln Elementary serves kindergarten through fourth grade in River Forest, an affluent residential suburb about ten to twelve miles west of downtown Chicago. The school draws from a community defined by large historic homes, including several Frank Lloyd Wright designs, tree-lined streets, and a strong civic tie to neighboring institutions: Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago both anchor village life. River Forest is built out and mature, with recent development focused on targeted infill along perimeter corridors rather than new subdivisions. Housing values in the zip code are substantially above state and national benchmarks. Most day-to-day commercial life happens in adjacent Oak Park; River Forest itself is quiet and residential.
In math, third and fourth grade students show solid proficiency. Third graders reached proficiency at a rate of about four in five, while fourth graders slightly exceeded that at about six in five equivalent. English language arts results are notably stronger. Third graders achieved proficiency at rates near nineteen in twenty, and fourth graders at about nine in ten. Testing data for fifth grade and beyond do not appear because Lincoln serves only through fourth grade. Participation rates are high across the subjects reported, with near-complete testing participation in both grades shown. These results place the school in the top quartile overall for proficiency across tested subjects and grades when compared to the county's districts.
The student body reflects some diversity within an affluent context. White students form the majority, while Asian students, students identifying as two or more races, and Hispanic students together represent a substantial share. Enrollment is small for the grade band, distributed fairly evenly across kindergarten through fourth grade. Free-and-reduced-price lunch data are not available in the public reporting, which may reflect the school's affluent community context but does not allow for a precise characterization of economic need.
River Forest School District 90 is actively managing instructional shifts that parents should be aware of. The district adopted a new K-8 English language arts curriculum in early 2025, now in its first full year. The shift involves new materials from Collaborative Classroom for early grades, and from Great Minds for upper elementary and middle school. This represents a multi-year change in how reading and writing instruction is structured across the entire student pathway.
The district also faces significant financial pressures. A teachers' contract approved in March 2026 provides substantial pay increases, but district finance forecasts suggest the funding model is unsustainable without a tax referendum, staff reductions, or both. This is a material concern for property-tax-paying residents. The Education Fund balance is projected to decline over the coming years even as salary and benefits costs rise sharply, making difficult choices likely within the next few years.
Lincoln itself is a regular public elementary school with no charter or magnet designation. It is not a Title I school. The school has limited public reporting on discipline, staffing detail, course offerings beyond core subjects, or attendance patterns, so a full picture of daily school operations and peer environment cannot be drawn from available data. The school's website was not accessible in this research, so program specifics like special education services, after-school offerings, or enrichment pathways remain unclear. A parent may want to visit or contact the school directly to understand the full range of supports and activities available, particularly as students progress from early elementary into the upper grades served.
See more original research from School Decision →