Oliver Julian Kendall Elem School, Naperville IL

Original Research by School Decision on Oliver Julian Kendall Elem School

Oliver Julian Kendall Elementary sits in Naperville, a thriving suburban city roughly 28 miles west of Chicago known for a strong downtown Riverwalk, world-class parks, and an active civic life anchored in libraries and community spaces. The school itself is small to mid-sized for an elementary, serving kindergarten through fifth grade in a regular public setting within the Indian Prairie CUSD 204 district, and draws from a notably affluent neighborhood; the median home value in the area is substantial, and the family composition skews toward higher-income households with a strong Asian population representation.

On academic metrics, Kendall shows solid overall performance. In math, proficiency runs consistently strong across tested grades: third graders, fourth graders, and fifth graders all land in the mid-to-high range, with fifth-grade performance standing out at the higher end. English language arts paints a mixed picture within the school itself. Third grade lags noticeably below the school's math performance, but fourth and fifth grades jump sharply upward, with fifth grade reaching high proficiency. In science, fifth-grade results fall into the mid-range. The school participates fully in state testing—all students tested show participation rates at or above 100 percent. When positioned against other districts in Will County, Kendall's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile of schools with reported data, a reflection of consistent strength across subjects and grades.

The school is not Title I and does not serve students in grades six through eight, so federal lunch subsidy data and secondary testing are not applicable to this entity. Specific enrollment by special populations (students with IEPs, English learners) was not available in the provided data, so a parent interested in how the school supports those students may want to look into this further with the school directly.

The district itself is in the midst of significant change. Voters approved a substantial bond referendum in November 2024 focused on safety upgrades, infrastructure, and learning spaces; bond payments will remain at or below the existing tax rate through a continuation of current debt obligations. Separately, the district is implementing a new middle school English language arts curriculum centered on writing and critical thinking. These are longer-term institutional shifts, but because Kendall is elementary-only, families should understand the pathway their child will follow into the district's middle schools, where these curricular and operational changes are taking effect.

Naperville itself is growing slowly but steadily, with new residential subdivisions and downtown infill projects active. The community has two Metra stations serving the BNSF line into Chicago, an award-winning public library system, extensive parks, and a recognizable downtown with shopping, dining, and family-oriented amenities. Housing in the area reflects a strong market with modest year-over-year appreciation. The school's neighborhood is solidly residential and suburban in character, with families able to access downtown amenities, parks, and transit within a short drive or walk depending on location.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 383%

School 83% · District 71% · ▲ 12 pts above district

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

Grade 483%

School 83% · District 66% · ▲ 17 pts above district

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

Grade 587%

School 87% · District 63% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 57 pts above state median · ▲ 47 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 369%

School 69% · District 63% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 487%

School 87% · District 68% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 39 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 590%

School 90% · District 73% · ▲ 17 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 577%

School 77% · District 61% · ▲ 16 pts above district

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

This schoolIndian Prairie CUSD 204, 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.