Sward Elem School

Sward Elem School is a middle-of-the-pack elementary campus in Oak Lawn, Illinois, run under Oak Lawn-Hometown SD 123. The school caters to 457 students in grades K through 5.

Across the 7 schools in Oak Lawn-Hometown SD 123 (3,395 students total), Sward Elem School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, Sward Elem School shows that 47% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. Beyond that, the school shows 41% White, 7% Black, 3% multiracial, 2% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 27% Hispanic, putting the school's mix visibly more Hispanic than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, Sward Elem School lists 31 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.6:1. The state averages about 13.9:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Around 44% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is south of Cook County's rate of about 66%.

With demographic context factored in, Sward Elem School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 46.0%; this one delivers 51.1%.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Cook County put the typical household earns roughly $83,498 per year, 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Cook County's 1406 public schools (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students), Sward Elem School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle Sch, roughly 0.5 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. On composite proficiency, Sward Elem School comes 4th of 8 in the immediate cluster, higher than the nearby-schools average of 46.5%.

The school occupies a bedroom-community site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Sward Elem School has decreased 12%, going from 520 students in 2018 to 457 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share edged down from 60% to 41%. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 16.5:1 in 2018 to 14.6:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, members of the Sward Elem School community share and discuss classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.