Forrestal Elem School

Forrestal Elem School, a mid-sized elementary campus in Great Lakes, Illinois, one of the schools within North Chicago SD 187, teaches 386 students, covering grades K through 3.

Across the 8 schools in North Chicago SD 187 (3,637 students total), Forrestal Elem School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Forrestal Elem School shows that the most-represented group is Hispanic (47%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Beyond that, the school shows 31% Black, 13% White, 6% multiracial. By comparison, Lake County as a whole is about 25% Hispanic, so the school skews visibly more Hispanic than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Forrestal Elem School has 34 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 11.3:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting Forrestal Elem School tighter than the state norm the norm. About 99% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Lake County runs at roughly 54%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat above the surrounding baseline.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Forrestal Elem School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 14.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 17.7%.

In the area at large, Lake County reports that median household income runs about $110,416, 48% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. Across Lake County's 214 public schools (combined enrollment of about 118,032 students), Forrestal Elem School is one campus in the mix.

LEARN 10 Charter School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.1 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. On composite proficiency, Forrestal Elem School comes 3rd of 6 in the immediate cluster, beneath the nearby-schools average of 21.4%.

Geographically, the school is in a bedroom-community area.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count ticked down 11%: 435 students in 2018 compared to 386 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 42% to 31% across the same window. Class-load math has tightened: from 14.5:1 in 2018 to 11.3:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, members of the Forrestal Elem School community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.