Whittier Elementary School

Whittier Elementary School, a very small K-5 school in Blue Island, Illinois, overseen by Cook County SD 130, works with 150 students, covering grades 4 through 5. Compared to the state average of about 381 students per school, that is 61% smaller than typical.

Whittier Elementary School is one of 11 schools operated by Cook County SD 130, a district that teaches 2,950 students overall.

In terms of who attends, Whittier Elementary School logs that 75% of the student body identifies as Hispanic. Beyond that, the school logs 17% Black, 6% White. The wider county runs roughly 27% Hispanic, putting the school's mix meaningfully more Hispanic than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, The school reports having 10 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 14.6:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting Whittier Elementary School higher than the state norm the norm. About 81% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. Set against Cook County (around 66%), the school's rate is somewhat above typical.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Whittier Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 24.9% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 27.3%.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Cook County shows median household earnings sit near $83,498, 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 10%. Whittier Elementary School is one of 1406 public schools in Cook County (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students).

The closest other public school is Everett F Kerr Middle School, roughly 0.2 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Whittier Elementary School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Whittier Elementary School at 4th of 8; the average score across the group is 28.5%.

Whittier Elementary School operates from a residential location.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Whittier Elementary School has declined 26%, going from 203 students in 2018 to 150 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio grew from 11.9:1 in 2018 to 14.6:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.