Macarthur Intrntl Spanish Acad, Hoffman Estates IL

Original Research by School Decision on Macarthur Intrntl Spanish Acad

MacArthur International Spanish Academy is a public elementary school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Hoffman Estates, a northwest Chicago suburb experiencing significant redevelopment. The school enrolls a diverse student body, with a substantial majority Hispanic students, alongside smaller populations of white, Asian, and multiracial students. The school sits within Schaumburg CCSD 54, a district that has recently undertaken major instructional changes, including adoption of a new K-8 math curriculum and a redesigned K-2 literacy plan anchored in science-of-reading principles with early screening for reading disabilities.

The school's academic performance in 2024-25 shows variability by subject and grade. In English language arts, proficiency ranged from around two-fifths in grade three to nearly three-quarters in grade six, suggesting stronger performance in upper elementary grades. Fourth and fifth grade students in ELA showed mid-range results near or slightly above the halfway point. Math proficiency was more uneven. Grade four and six students reached roughly mid-range performance, while grade five students showed notably lower proficiency, with only about a third reaching proficiency. Science data were available only for grade five, where about a quarter of students showed proficiency. All students participated in state testing. The school's overall proficiency index, averaging across all tested subjects and grades, sits above the midpoint when compared to other schools in Cook County.

Parents considering this school should know that it carries the designation of an International Spanish Academy, which typically reflects a bilingual or dual-language instructional model, though specific program details were not available in the data. The enrollment is moderate-sized for its grade band, with relatively balanced grades across kindergarten through sixth grade. The school's racial and ethnic composition, with about three-fifths of students identifying as Hispanic, is notably different from the broader Hoffman Estates population and worth understanding if school community fit matters to your family.

Housing near the school is in the moderate range for the Chicago region. Homes in the area show median values in the mid-range, with monthly rental costs also moderate. The broader Hoffman Estates housing market is currently in a significant expansion phase, with major apartment and townhome projects under development following the redevelopment of the former Sears headquarters campus.

State assessment data for seventh and eighth grade were not reported, likely because the school does not serve those grades. A graduation rate was not applicable for the same reason. Free and reduced-price lunch rates and counts, special education enrollment, and English learner enrollment figures were not available in the data provided. Parents seeking a fuller picture of student support services, whether the school houses a dual-language program, and how many students access subsidized meals may want to contact the school directly.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 57% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 59% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 536%

School 36% · District 51% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Grade 653%

School 53% · District 57% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 340%

School 40% · District 54% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 468%

School 68% · District 67% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Grade 555%

School 55% · District 67% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 674%

School 74% · District 76% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Science

Grade 528%

School 28% · District 48% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

This schoolSchaumburg CCSD 54, 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.