Laraway School

Laraway School is a primary school of mid-sized scale in Joliet, Illinois, part of Laraway CCSD 70C, serveing 433 students in grades pre-K through 8.

Laraway CCSD 70C is the operating authority for Laraway School, handling staffing, calendars, and reporting to the state department of education.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Laraway School lists that the largest single group is Black at 46%, but no single group is in the majority; the rest reads as 45% Hispanic, 5% White, 4% multiracial. That is considerably more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 12%.

On the resource side, Laraway School logs 53 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 8.2:1. The state averages around 13.9:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 91% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Will County runs at roughly 44%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

With demographic context factored in, Laraway School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 19.1% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 32.1%.

Zooming out to the county, Will County reports that median household income runs about $109,984, 38% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. Laraway School is one of 209 public schools in Will County (combined enrollment of about 113,008 students).

Nearest neighbor: Edna Keith Elem School, around 1.7 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Laraway School. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Laraway School ranks 3rd on composite proficiency, below the local average of 33.7%.

The school occupies a commuter-belt site.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Laraway School has increased 60%, going from 271 students in 2018 to 433 in 2025. The Black share of enrollment ticked down from 54% to 46% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 9.4:1 in 2018 to 8.2:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.