Central Elem School

Located at 1526 E Thacker St, in Des Plaines, Illinois, Central Elem School is an intimate elementary-level community that serves 322 students (grades K through 5), overseen by CCSD 62.

Within CCSD 62, which oversees 11 schools and 4,520 students, Central Elem School is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Central Elem School records that the largest single group is White at 52%, but no single group is in the majority. Beyond that, the school logs 23% Hispanic, 15% Asian, 5% multiracial, 3% Black. That is meaningfully more White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 44%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Central Elem School has 28 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 11.5:1. The state averages around 13.9:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 38% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is south of Cook County's rate of about 66%.

With demographic context factored in, Central Elem School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 49.6%; this one delivers 57.0%.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Cook County put median household income runs about $83,498, 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Cook County's 1406 public schools (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students), Central Elem School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: North Elementary School, around 0.5 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Central Elem School. On composite proficiency, Central Elem School comes 2nd of 6 in the immediate cluster, ahead of the nearby-schools average of 48.6%.

Geographically, the school is in an inner-city area.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Central Elem School has edged up 9%, going from 295 students in 2018 to 322 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 64% to 52% across the same window. Class-load math has fell: from 13.3:1 in 2018 to 11.5:1 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the feed for Central Elem School typically covers enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.