Oak Terrace Elem School

Oak Terrace Elem School, a reasonably sized elementary-level community in Highwood, Illinois, part of North Shore SD 112, works with 494 students, covering grades pre-K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 381 students per school, that is 30% bigger than typical.

Oak Terrace Elem School is one of 9 schools operated by North Shore SD 112, a district that works with 3,730 students overall.

On the student-mix side, Oak Terrace Elem School lists that the most-represented group is Hispanic (54%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Beyond that, the school logs 38% White, 4% multiracial. That is considerably more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 25%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Oak Terrace Elem School has 41 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.1:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting Oak Terrace Elem School tighter than the state norm the norm. Roughly 46% of students at Oak Terrace Elem School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. That share is below Lake County's rate of about 54%.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Oak Terrace Elem School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 44.8% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 50.2%.

In the broader community, census data for Lake County shows median household income runs about $110,416, 48% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. In all, Lake County runs 214 public schools (combined enrollment of about 118,032 students), of which Oak Terrace Elem School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Northwood Middle School, around 0.5 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

Geographically, the school is in an outer-ring area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 7%: 529 students in 2018 compared to 494 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 67% to 54% across the same window.

Inside the community feed, posts here usually surface around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.