Joyce Kilmer Elem School

Joyce Kilmer Elem School is an elementary school of high-enrollment scale in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, run under Wheeling CCSD 21, serveing 590 students in grades K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 55% bigger than the state mean of about 381.

Wheeling CCSD 21 comprises 12 schools with combined enrollment of 6,298 students; Joyce Kilmer Elem School is among them.

Looking at the student body, Joyce Kilmer Elem School shows that the largest single group is White at 45%, but no single group is in the majority; the rest comes out to 38% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 6% multiracial, 3% Black. Compared to Cook County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

In terms of school funding signals, Joyce Kilmer Elem School records 43 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.7:1. The state averages about 13.9:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Roughly 71% of students at Joyce Kilmer Elem School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Joyce Kilmer Elem School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 30.4% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 34.1%.

Across the wider county, Cook County reports that median household earnings sit near $83,498, about 43% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 10%. Across Cook County's 1406 public schools (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students), Joyce Kilmer Elem School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Booth Tarkington Elem School, roughly 0.9 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Joyce Kilmer Elem School at 6th of 7; the average score across the group is 44.1%.

The school occupies a suburban site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Joyce Kilmer Elem School's enrollment has climbed 14% since 2018, when it stood at 516 (now 590). The Hispanic share of enrollment declined from 58% to 38% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 18.8:1 in 2018 to 13.7:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.