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SCHOOL COMMUNITY·VALLEY VIEW CUSD 365U·NCES 174007005751

Bernard J Ward Elem School

200 Recreation Dr, Bolingbrook, IL 60440 · (630) 972-9200 · Will County
GRADES KG–05ELEMENTARY13-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL363 STUDENTS
Enrollment
363
Elementary
DISTRICT 492 · STATE 381
Student : Teacher
11.8:1
31 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 12.8:1 · STATE 13.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
77%
281 students
DISTRICT 59% · STATE 56%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Kindergarten
44
Grade 1
61
Grade 2
78
Grade 3
63
Grade 4
57
Grade 5
60
Student demographics
White
175%
DISTRICT 17% · STATE 45%
Hispanic
23063%
DISTRICT 49% · STATE 29%
Black
7420%
DISTRICT 22% · STATE 16%
Asian
195%
DISTRICT 6% · STATE 6%
Two+
216%
DISTRICT 5% · STATE 5%
Native American
21%
DISTRICT 0% · STATE 0%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Male
18350%
Female
18050%

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Test scores

IAR + ISA 2024-25 . % Proficient (Levels 4-5)
English Language Arts
50.6%
IL avg 51.0% . +25.2pp since 2023
Math
42.0%
IL avg 37.9% . +28.9pp since 2023
Source: IAR + ISA. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →

BeatsExpectations

Demographically-adjusted score · methodology
Tier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
37.5%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
26.8%
based on IL schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+10.6pp
above demographic expectation
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →

7-year change

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Enrollment
363
-96 (-21%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
11.8:1
was 12.5:1
% White
5%
was 7%
% Hispanic
63%
was 70%
% Black
20%
was 15%
% Asian
5%
was 5%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data

About Bernard J Ward Elem School

Bernard J Ward Elem School operates as a medium-sized elementary-level community in Bolingbrook, Illinois, one of the schools within Valley View CUSD 365U. Current enrollment sits at 363 students spanning grades K through 5.

Within Valley View CUSD 365U, which oversees 20 schools and 14,710 students, Bernard J Ward Elem School is one campus in the system.

On demographics, Bernard J Ward Elem School shows that Hispanic students make up the majority at 63%; the rest breaks down as 20% Black, 6% multiracial, 5% Asian, 5% White. By comparison, Will County as a whole is about 20% Hispanic, so the school skews noticeably more Hispanic than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 31 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 11.8:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting Bernard J Ward Elem School tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 77% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Will County runs at roughly 44%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, Bernard J Ward Elem School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 26.8%; this one delivers 37.5%.

In the surrounding community, the surrounding county (Will County) reports that median household earnings sit near $109,984, roughly 38% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 6%. In all, Will County runs 209 public schools (combined enrollment of about 113,008 students), of which Bernard J Ward Elem School is one.

Nearest neighbor: John R Tibbott Elem School, around 0.9 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Bernard J Ward Elem School ranks 8th on composite proficiency, behind the local average of 42.2%.

The campus sits in an inner-city setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Bernard J Ward Elem School's enrollment has declined 21% since 2018, when it stood at 459 (now 363). Over the same period, the Hispanic share ticked down from 70% to 63%.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Bernard J Ward Elem School typically covers open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.

Will County at a glance

View full county profile
Population
701,462
Census ACS
Median income
$109,984
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
38%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
6%
Below federal line
Schools in county
209
113,008 students

Quick facts

School name
Bernard J Ward Elem School
District
Valley View CUSD 365U
Address
200 Recreation Dr, Bolingbrook, IL 60440
Phone
(630) 972-9200
County
Will County
Level
Elementary
Grade range
KG–05
Total enrollment
363
Teachers (FTE)
31
Student–teacher ratio
11.8:1
Free/Reduced lunch
281 (77%)
Locale
13-City: Small
NCES ID
174007005751
Charter school
No
Virtual school
No

Related schools

Other schools in Valley View CUSD 365U
Other schools in Bolingbrook
Nearby schools

Frequently asked questions

About Bernard J Ward Elem School
What is the total enrollment at Bernard J Ward Elem School?
Bernard J Ward Elem School enrolls approximately 363 students in grades KG-05.
What grades does Bernard J Ward Elem School serve?
Bernard J Ward Elem School serves grades KG-05.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bernard J Ward Elem School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Bernard J Ward Elem School is approximately 11.8:1 (31 FTE teachers).
How diverse is Bernard J Ward Elem School?
Bernard J Ward Elem School reports a student body of 5% White, 63% Hispanic, 20% Black, 5% Asian, 6% Two or more.
What district is Bernard J Ward Elem School in?
Bernard J Ward Elem School is part of Valley View CUSD 365U.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.
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