The top reported proficiency rate is 87% in English language arts. The lowest is 81% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Willard Elem School
Willard Elementary School in River Forest serves students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in this affluent residential village west of Chicago. The school sits in one of Cook County's most consistently high-performing districts and draws from a well-resourced community with substantial home values and a highly educated parent base.
In the most recent state testing data available, third and fourth graders at Willard show solid academic performance. Third graders scored above the midpoint statewide on both English language arts and math, with strong proficiency rates in both subjects. Fourth graders performed at above the midpoint in English language arts and somewhat lower in math, though participation in testing was near universal. The school as a whole ranks in the top quartile among districts in Cook County on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. That said, the performance dip from third to fourth grade in math may be worth understanding more directly with the school, both to learn whether it reflects curriculum transitions or individual cohort needs and to see what support structures exist for students working toward proficiency.
The school enrolls roughly in the range typical for a K-4 building in suburban Cook County. The student body is predominantly white, with meaningful representation from Asian, multiracial, and Hispanic families, and a smaller Black enrollment. Specific data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, English learners, or special education enrollment was not available in the public records reviewed, so families may want to request those figures directly from the school to understand the full peer composition and support services available.
River Forest itself is an almost entirely residential, tree-lined village built out with large historic single-family homes, including several Frank Lloyd Wright designs. The community is dominated by two university campuses and is closely tied to neighboring Oak Park for shopping, dining, and cultural life. Home values are among the highest in the region, and the median listing price in the area has risen sharply. The village is rated very walkable, with good Metra commuter rail access to downtown Chicago and connections to the CTA Green Line.
At the district level, River Forest SD 90 has implemented a new K-8 English language arts curriculum starting in the 2025-26 school year, moving to materials from Collaborative Classroom and Great Minds. This is a substantial shift in how reading and writing are taught across all elementary grades. Additionally, the district approved a new teachers' contract in March 2026 with significant pay increases that district leadership publicly noted is financially unsustainable. The school district forecasts a decline in its education fund balance over the coming years, which could lead to a property tax referendum, staffing reductions, or both. For families considering this school, this represents a meaningful potential shift in district resources and local property taxes in the near term.
Willard is a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation, serving the community directly. The school offers a traditional elementary pathway with no special program data available in public records. For a family seeking a mainstream neighborhood elementary school in an affluent, educationally engaged suburb with strong current performance, Willard fits that profile. Families may want to discuss the math performance trajectory and the district's financial outlook directly with school leadership.
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