The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Math. The lowest is 51% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Douglas Macarthur Elem School
Douglas MacArthur Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in Cedar Lake, a primarily residential town in Lake County, Indiana, that functions as a commuter community for Chicago. The school is part of the Crown Point Community School Corporation, meaning that after fifth grade, students move on to middle and high school in Crown Point rather than within Cedar Lake itself. For families choosing this school, that transition is a built-in feature of the pathway.
Academically, the school’s strongest result is in math, where the share of students scoring proficient or above on the state ILEARN assessment is notably higher than typical for elementary schools in the region. In English language arts, about half of students met the proficiency benchmark, a moderate showing. Science and social studies each landed near that same midpoint. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Lake County. This is a clear strength: by the metrics available, MacArthur is performing well above the county median on the academic measures that matter most for elementary grades.
The student body is large for an elementary school, with enrollment spanning pre-K through fifth grade. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic need. Racially, the school is predominantly white, with a small share of Hispanic students and very small numbers of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. Data on special education identification and English learner status were not available, so a reader interested in those supports may want to ask the school directly.
Cedar Lake itself has been growing steadily and is described as a commuter town for Chicago, with many residents likely working outside the town. The local housing market reflects this suburban demand: typical home values in the zip code are moderately above the statewide benchmark. The town does not have a traditional walkable downtown; instead, civic life centers on a town complex with parks and lake access. For a family, this means a car-dependent suburban setting with recreational amenities tied to the lake.
The district context is important here. Crown Point Community School Corporation passed an operating referendum renewal in 2023 that continues a property-tax levy funding teacher compensation and academic programs. That renewal, publicly reported, has a direct effect on property taxes and on the resources available in its elementary schools. For a parent, this means the school’s operating budget is supported by a voter-approved local levy, not just state formula funding.
Because MacArthur serves only through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and no chronic absenteeism data appeared in the state data. The district has not published multi-year academic trend data for this school in the available sources, so it is not possible from this evidence to say whether proficiency rates have been improving or declining over time.
For a family looking at this school, the picture is one of a solidly performing elementary in a growing suburban commuter town, with math performance as a particular bright spot. The school is part of a district that has renewed local funding, and its overall academic standing is strong compared with other elementary schools across Lake County. The main open question for a prospective parent would be how the school serves students with special education needs or those learning English, since no data was available on those populations here.
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