Smith Elem School

Smith Elem School, a middle-of-the-pack K-5 school in Aurora, Illinois, run under Aurora West USD 129, educates 425 students, covering grades pre-K through 5.

Smith Elem School is one of 16 schools operated by Aurora West USD 129, a district that teaches 11,020 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Smith Elem School records that the largest single group is Hispanic, at 76% of enrollment. Other groups include 10% Black, 8% White, 4% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 33% Hispanic, putting the school's mix visibly more Hispanic than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Smith Elem School has 31 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.7:1. The state averages about 13.9:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Roughly 60% of students at Smith Elem School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. That share is north of Kane County's rate of about 48%.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), On a poverty-adjusted basis, Smith Elem School sits in the bottom 10% statewide. Predicted proficiency from the FRL regression is roughly 36.6%; actual is 22.0%, a gap of -14.6 points.

In the broader community, ACS estimates for Kane County put the typical household earns roughly $103,163 per year, roughly 38% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. In all, Kane County runs 167 public schools (combined enrollment of about 87,252 students), of which Smith Elem School is one.

The closest other public school is Illinois Mathematics and Science, roughly 1.0 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Smith Elem School at 6th of 7; the average score across the group is 28.5%.

Geographically, the school is in a residential area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 7%: 456 students in 2018 compared to 425 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 56% to 76% across the same window.

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