Rondout Elem School, Lake Forest IL

Original Research by School Decision on Rondout Elem School

Rondout Elementary School is a small K-8 building in Lake Forest serving a community of about mid-size enrollment. The school sits in an affluent North Shore setting marked by substantial residential estates, a walkable historic downtown anchored by Market Square, and proximity to Lake Michigan. Housing values in the zip code are high, and the local economy is supported by major employers including the Chicago Bears' headquarters and corporate presence in the area.

The student body is predominantly white with smaller shares of Hispanic, Asian, multiracial, and other students. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and English learner enrollment were not available, making it difficult to assess economic or linguistic diversity at the school. Special education enrollment numbers were also not provided.

On state assessment results, the school shows uneven performance across grade levels and subjects. In English language arts, proficiency is generally strong in the upper grades (seventh and eighth grade show strong results), solid in fourth grade, and lower in the fifth and sixth grades. Third grade English proficiency is moderate. In mathematics, the picture is more variable: third grade and seventh grade show strong proficiency, while fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth grades show proficiency rates that fall below the midpoint. Fifth grade mathematics proficiency is notably low. Science results are available only for fifth and eighth grades; fifth grade shows weak performance while eighth grade is substantially stronger. Across all tested grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among districts in Lake County, but the grade-level variation suggests students encounter difficulty in middle elementary and middle grades, particularly in mathematics.

A parent may want to look into whether the school has addressed what appears to be a pattern of softening performance in the fourth through sixth grade band, and how instruction in mathematics is being supported, especially in grades four through six. The school participates fully in state testing, with participation rates at or near full except in fifth grade science where participation was slightly below full enrollment.

Lake Forest itself is a slow-growth, high-value community where homes sell quickly. The downtown is compact and walkable, connected to Metra transit and the Green Bay Bike Trail, while most residential areas are low-density. The area has been stable for decades after westward expansion in the mid-twentieth century, with new development now largely infill projects rather than expansive growth. This setting shapes the family composition and economic backdrop for the school.

No recent strategic shifts or referenda for the district were found in available sources, suggesting the school operates in a stable, incremental context without major recent changes in direction or resources.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 379%

School 79% · District 79%

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 464%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 539%

School 39% · District 39%

▲ 9 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 44%

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 785%

School 85% · District 85%

▲ 56 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Grade 857%

School 57% · District 57%

▲ 34 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 371%

School 71% · District 71%

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Grade 477%

School 77% · District 77%

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 69%

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 665%

School 65% · District 65%

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 785%

School 85% · District 85%

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 886%

School 86% · District 86%

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Science

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 46%

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 876%

School 76% · District 76%

▲ 37 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

This schoolRondout SD 72, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.