The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in Science. The lowest is 31% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Allen J Warren Elementary School
Allen J. Warren Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Highland, a predominantly residential suburb in Lake County that is part of the Chicago metro area. The school is one of four elementary schools in the School Town of Highland district, and it is located in a town that is nearly built-out, with a population that has been essentially flat to slightly declining. Home values in the area have appreciated over time, and the housing market reflects a stable, older suburban community with a mix of subdivisions and retail corridors.
The school enrolls a student body that is fairly diverse. The largest group of students is white, followed by a substantial Hispanic population and a solid Black student population, with a small Asian cohort and a very small number of students identifying as two or more races. Around half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a figure that gives a sense of the economic mix families will find at the school.
Academically, Allen J. Warren posted mixed results on the 2024-25 ILEARN state assessments. In math, roughly half of students tested met or exceeded the state's proficiency standards. In English language arts, just over two in five students reached that level. Science scores were higher, with a little more than half of test-takers proficient. Social studies, administered only at fifth grade, had a lower proficiency rate, with about three in ten students meeting the bar. The school’s overall proficiency index across these tested subjects placed it in the top quarter of schools within Lake County, a strong showing relative to its peers in the county. The district brief turned up no recent major changes such as referendums or curriculum shifts to note.
The student-teacher dynamic is not documented in the available data; staffing ratios and class sizes were not provided. Neither were discipline records, chronic absenteeism rates, or special education and English learner counts. A parent wanting to understand the school’s support systems for students with individualized education plans or those learning English would need to ask the school or the district directly for those specifics.
Highland itself has a small downtown centered on Highway Avenue, with community events at Main Square Park. The town’s pedestrian and cycling infrastructure includes the Erie Lackawanna Trail, a paved multiuse path that cuts diagonally through town. Schools are spread across different neighborhoods rather than clustered, and Warren Elementary sits within this suburban layout. The town has over twenty parks, and major employers in the region are concentrated in healthcare and industry, though many are in nearby communities rather than within Highland proper. Commute times to Chicago, roughly 25 miles away, can be significant.
For a family considering Allen J. Warren, the picture is of an elementary school in a stable, built-out suburban community where the student body is economically and racially mixed. State test results show a school that performs above the middle of the pack among Lake County elementary schools, with math and science as relative strengths and social studies a softer spot. The data gaps on staffing, chronic absence, and special populations mean a family with a child who has specific learning needs should ask directly how those are handled. The town’s limited new development and flat population suggest a community that is not rapidly changing, which could appeal to families seeking consistency.
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