The top reported proficiency rate is 95% in Science. The lowest is 84% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Field Park Elem School
Field Park Elementary School is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade building in Western Springs, a small, tree-lined residential village southwest of Chicago with a strong neighborhood identity anchored by its historic water tower and walkable downtown. The school serves a small enrollment typical of suburban elementary schools in affluent communities.
The school's academic profile shows solid performance across the tested grades. In third through fifth grade mathematics, proficiency rates cluster in the high range—fifth grade led at nearly all students meeting or exceeding standards, while fourth grade was a few percentage points lower. English language arts proficiency across those same grades followed a similar pattern, with fifth grade again performing strongest. Science proficiency in fifth grade was notably high. Participation rates in testing were very strong across grades, indicating consistent student engagement with assessments. It is worth noting that state testing data is available only for grades three through five; earlier grades are not tested under Illinois state assessment, which is a standard feature of elementary education in the state and does not reflect school performance.
The student body is predominantly white, reflecting the village's broader demographics. A small share of students identify as Hispanic or multiracial; very few are Black or Asian. The school's family-income profile was not available in the public data, though the Western Springs housing market is a strong indicator of family economic status. Home values in the zip code are substantially above state and national medians, and the community is characterized as an affluent residential suburb with many families commuting into Chicago for work. This context shapes the peer environment and the resources families bring to the school.
Western Springs School District 101 faced significant financial pressures in the early 2020s. The district placed a property-tax referendum on the ballot in April 2023, its first such measure in years, aimed at closing an operating deficit and restoring reserves. The referendum sought a material increase in local property tax funding, which directly affected annual property tax bills in the district. This was a substantial consideration for families in the community. By late 2023, the district was advancing a steep levy increase, reflecting its post-referendum revenue baseline. Parents considering a move into the district should be aware that property taxes in Western Springs carry a meaningful school-funding component and have risen notably in recent years.
The school is situated within the village street grid rather than on a separated campus, placing it in walking or biking distance from downtown amenities, parks, and the Metra commuter rail station. The Western Springs Park District operates a network of neighborhood parks, and the Thomas Ford Memorial Library is a civic anchor downtown. The community itself is largely built out, though two development areas are adding housing: the Timber Trails subdivision on the south end (a former golf course with townhomes and single-family homes still being completed) and a small amount of downtown mixed-use infill near the train station.
When compared across public schools in Cook County on overall proficiency in tested subjects and grades, Field Park sits in the top quartile of performance among the county's districts. This positioning reflects the school's strong proficiency rates and the educational baseline typical of affluent suburban systems. No graduation rate or chronic absenteeism data are available because the school serves only elementary grades.
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