The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in English language arts. The lowest is 51% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Wauconda Grade School
Wauconda Grade School is a regular public elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a small residential village in northwest suburban Lake County. The school enrolls a student body that is roughly evenly split between Hispanic and white students, with a small number of students of other races represented. Approximately half the students are Hispanic and half are white.
On state assessments administered in spring 2025, the school's proficiency rates fall below the midpoint for Lake County districts when averaged across tested subjects and grades. In third-grade mathematics, proficiency sits in the low to mid range; fourth-grade math proficiency is notably lower, roughly at the threshold between meets and does not meet state standards. Fifth-grade math and English language arts proficiency both show similar patterns, with slightly more than half of students meeting state standards. Fifth-grade science proficiency is also near the halfway mark. Reading proficiency across grades three through five runs slightly below mathematics in grade three, then largely tracks with math results in grades four and five. The school's participation rate is universal across all reported assessments, meaning virtually every student sat for the test. These results position the school above the midpoint for proficiency when compared to other schools serving similar grades across Lake County, a positioning that reflects mixed academic outcomes: some students reaching proficiency while a substantial share are working toward it.
The enrollment is stable and small for an elementary school serving a growing residential area. Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes are modest in size; first through fifth grade each carry enrollments in the mid-range for that span. No data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, or English learner enrollment was available from the state. The lack of such data is typical for schools in the district and may reflect reporting practices rather than the absence of these populations.
Wauconda itself is a modest, mainly residential village centered on Bangs Lake, with a small historic downtown along Main Street and commercial corridors along state highways. The community is experiencing modest growth, with new residential subdivisions such as the Meadows at Liberty Lakes adding housing on the eastern edge. Median home values in the area are moderate for the region, and median rents are accessible. Housing inventory has been tightening in recent months, though absolute supply remains adequate. The local economy includes manufacturing, distribution, and service-sector businesses in business parks, alongside locally owned shops and restaurants in the downtown and highway commercial areas.
The school sits within Wauconda Community Unit School District 118, which is navigating significant budget constraints. The district is working through a multi-year Budget Deficit Reduction Plan that has already reduced the 2025-26 budget and is proposing further reductions for 2026-27. The district administrator paused the plan in November 2025 after community feedback, so the precise shape of future staffing and program changes remains in motion. Because roughly three-quarters of the district's operating budget goes to salaries and benefits, any balancing of the budget will necessarily affect staffing levels and program offerings. Additionally, the district receives only a modest share of its revenue from state funding under Illinois Evidence-Based Funding and relies primarily on local property taxes. The property tax levy is capped by state law at the lesser of a modest percentage increase or prior-year inflation, constraining the district's revenue growth trajectory.
Parents and residents considering Wauconda Grade School should factor in that the school's academic performance is mixed, with results in the lower half of the proficiency range across most grades and subjects tested. A parent may want to look into the school's current approaches to literacy and mathematics instruction, as well as what support the district's budget pressures may mean for classroom staffing and specialist services in the year ahead. The school serves a diverse, growing community in a residential setting with modest economic opportunities and an active downtown and lakefront. The district's financial situation is an important context for understanding what resources the school may have available to address academic gaps.
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