The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Washington Elem School
Washington Elementary School is a small intermediate school serving fourth and fifth graders in Schiller Park, a built-out suburban village adjacent to O'Hare International Airport, about thirteen miles west of downtown Chicago. The school is notably new. In the early 2020s, the district passed a referendum to replace a facility that had been standing for over fifty years and was overcrowded. The replacement building, a modern two-story structure completed after enrollment had grown steadily, houses learning neighborhoods, a media center, cafeteria, and gymnasium. This means families are placing their children in a recently constructed elementary school rather than an aging one.
The student enrollment is small, roughly corresponding to what a typical fourth-and-fifth-grade building would hold. The student population is evenly split between Hispanic and white students, with smaller shares of Asian and other groups. Specific data on students qualifying for free or reduced lunch and on special-education or English-learner enrollment were not available, so a parent may want to ask the district directly about those populations and supports.
In state math testing, about four in ten fourth and fifth graders meet proficiency, with fifth graders and fourth graders performing at nearly identical rates. English language arts results are stronger: roughly six in ten fifth graders meet proficiency, and about three in five fourth graders do. Science testing, administered only to fifth grade at this school, shows lower proficiency; about three in ten fifth graders meet the state standard. Across all tested subjects, the school's overall proficiency sits above the midpoint among Cook County's school districts, a meaningful position that reflects mixed but not weak academic outcomes.
Participation rates in state assessments are very high, approaching full attendance at testing, which is important context for interpreting these results. It is worth noting that the state adjusted its proficiency standards in recent years, so year-to-year comparisons are not directly available.
Schiller Park itself is a moderate-walkability mixed-income village built substantially in the 1950s and 1960s, with small brick bungalows and gridded streets. The area's economic base is shaped by O'Hare-related logistics, warehousing, hospitality, and smaller industrial firms. The village has stabilized in population and is not experiencing rapid growth. Housing values in the area are moderate by Cook County standards, and median rents are in the low five-figure-annual range. The civic anchors along Irving Park Road include Village Hall and a recreation center, while the newly opened Metra station on the North Central Service offers train access toward downtown Chicago, about thirty miles away.
Washington Elementary's recent capital investment is tangible: families will see their children in a current-generation building with adequate space, rather than one constrained by overcrowding. The school's academic profile shows respectable standing relative to its county peers, though absolute proficiency in math and science sits at levels a parent may want to understand more deeply during a school visit. The district's commitment to the facility upgrade reflects confidence in the school's role in the community's educational landscape.
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