The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in English language arts. The lowest is 23% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Maud E Johnson Elem School
Maud E Johnson Elementary is a small kindergarten through fifth grade school in Rockford serving about a small-to-mid-sized enrollment of kindergarteners through fifth graders. The school draws students from a diverse neighborhood: the student body is roughly equally divided among Hispanic, white, Black, and multiracial students, with smaller shares of Asian and Native American students. About a quarter of the school is Hispanic, similarly sized shares are Black and white, and the remainder span other backgrounds. The school sits on Rural Street in a part of Rockford where housing values are moderate, making it accessible to families across income levels.
The academic picture here is straightforward and warrants a clear look. On the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) in math, third and fourth graders showed proficiency rates in the mid-to-high-20-percent range, while fifth graders dropped to around one-sixth proficient. In English language arts, third graders were around one-fifth proficient, fourth graders were just under one-third, but fifth graders rose notably to about half proficient, suggesting stronger reading and writing than math at that grade. On the science assessment, about one-quarter of fifth graders achieved proficiency. These numbers are well below the median among districts in Winnebago County, placing the school in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency when tested grades and subjects are combined. A parent may want to look into further with the school what factors are driving the math weakness in the upper elementary grades and whether there are specific interventions or tutoring pathways available.
Data on free or reduced price lunch eligibility, English learner enrollment, and special education enrollment was not available, so the school's socioeconomic makeup and support for students with additional needs remain unclear from the records provided. Student test participation rates were strong, generally in the mid-to-high-90s, indicating the school is testing its full eligible population.
Rockford itself is a mid-sized Illinois city on the Rock River with an industrial and manufacturing heritage alongside modern healthcare, logistics, and aerospace activity. The city has been reversing years of population decline in recent years and is undergoing downtown revitalization with mixed-use development, restaurants, and new civic amenities including a new main library that opened in 2024. A major change at the district level is now in motion: Rockford SD 205 approved a multiyear facilities master plan that will create a dedicated college-and-career center, expand advanced programs like International Baccalaureate and STEAM into middle school, and refresh building conditions across the district. More immediately, all school buildings now have air conditioning, allowing the district to shift its calendar earlier, starting classes in mid-August and ending semesters before winter break. These changes reshape the rhythm and scope of what the district offers. Housing in the area is considered relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, and the neighborhood character is residential and working-class rather than affluent.
Maud E Johnson is a neighborhood school where students spend their full elementary years. The testing data shows a school where academic proficiency, particularly in math across the grade levels tested, lags the broader county. Whether this reflects curriculum choices, teaching intensity, student population characteristics, or resource allocation cannot be determined from the data provided. For families considering this school, understanding these proficiency gaps and asking the school directly about its instructional focus, support services, and any recent or planned improvements would be essential steps before enrollment.
See more original research from School Decision →