Madison School

Located at 15700 Orchid Dr, in South Holland, Illinois, Madison School is a close-knit primary school that caters to 277 students (grades 4 through 5), operated by South Holland SD 151. Compared to the state average of about 381 students per school, that is 27% smaller than typical.

Across the 4 schools in South Holland SD 151 (1,319 students total), Madison School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Madison School lists that 65% of the student body identifies as Black. Other groups include 34% Hispanic. That is meaningfully more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 22%.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 19 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 14.6:1 students per teacher. That tracks the state average closely. Around 100% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is noticeably above Cook County's rate of about 66%.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Madison School is in the OUTPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations model, which fits a per-state line through proficiency and FRL share. Schools with this campus's poverty mix typically land near 14.0%; this one delivers 34.5%, a residual of +20.5 points.

In the surrounding community, community-level numbers for Cook County indicate median household earnings sit near $83,498, roughly 43% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Cook County runs 1406 public schools (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students), of which Madison School is one.

Thornridge High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.8 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Madison School at 2nd of 9; the average score across the group is 20.5%.

Geographically, the school is in a commuter-belt area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 18%: 339 students in 2018 compared to 277 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 60% to 65% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio grew from 12.3:1 in 2018 to 14.6:1 today.

On this page, members of the Madison School community share and discuss pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.