Hefferan Elementary School

Summary:

Hefferan Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago, with 239 students enrolled. Despite spending more per student than the district average, the school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Illinois elementary schools over the past decade, with a 0 out of 5 star rating from SchoolDigger.

Hefferan Elementary faces significant challenges, including extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, low academic performance with only 9% of students proficient in ELA and 5.3% proficient in Math, and a disproportionately high percentage of students from low-income families (92.89%). The school's performance has steadily declined over the past decade, with its statewide ranking dropping from 512 out of 2,052 schools in 2014-2015 to 2,037 out of 2,067 schools in 2023-2024. This is particularly concerning for male students, low-income students, and African American students, who all rank in the bottom 10-20% of their respective subgroups statewide.

In comparison, nearby schools like Melody Elementary School, Webster Elementary School, and Sumner Elementary Math & Sci Community Academy have higher academic proficiency rates and lower chronic absenteeism, suggesting that Hefferan's struggles are not solely due to its location or student demographics. To improve outcomes, the school and Chicago Public Schools District 299 may need to explore more targeted and evidence-based approaches, such as addressing attendance and engagement, providing more intensive academic support, and addressing the unique needs of the school's student population.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 4409 W Wilcox St
       Chicago, IL  60624-2550


(773) 534-6192

District: Chicago Public Schools District 299

SchoolDigger Rank:
2037th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $28,458 Help


Students who attend Hefferan Elementary School usually attend:

High:    Marshall Metropolitan High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.2 Help
Number of students:  239

Racial breakdown:

African American:
93.7%
Hispanic:
5.4%
White:
0.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  92.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Hefferan Elementary School ranks worse than 98.5% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 432nd among 452 ranked elementary schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.92. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details Hefferan Elementary School ranks worse than 94.7% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Hefferan Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Chicago Public Schools District 299.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hefferan Elementary School is $28,458, which is the 33rd highest among 452 elementary schools in the Chicago Public Schools District 299.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Hefferan Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Hefferan Elementary School 2037th of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Hefferan Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Male students:
African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Hefferan Elementary School 1291st of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Hefferan Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:


Chicago Public Schools District 299:

SchoolDigger ranks Chicago Public Schools District 299 688th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Hefferan Elementary School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Hefferan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 4.14 1905th 2020 5.7%
2004 18.22 1731st 2030 14.7%
2005 15.31 1777th 2022 12.1%
2006 21.76 1766th 2086 15.3%
2007 35.29 1590th 2095 24.1%
2008 38.83 1478th 2092 29.3%
2009 30.19 1638th 2120 22.7%
2010 43.25 1425th 2139 33.4%
2011 29.26 1672nd 2147 22.1%
2012 36.97 1571st 2166 27.5%
2013 60.53 931st 2167 57.0%
2014 70.59 611th 2093 70.8%
2015 71.15 512th 2052 75.0%
2016 50.32 947th 2046 53.7%
2017 47.43 1009th 2044 50.6%
2018 36.48 1257th 2037 38.3%
2019 28.86 1478th 2086 29.1%
2022 14.48 1886th 2082 9.4%
2023 13.39 1928th 2077 7.2%
2024 9.92 2037th 2067 1.5%
See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Hefferan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.23 795th 1765 55.0%
2019 42.59 1020th 1816 43.8%
2022 21.82 1522nd 1763 13.7%
2023 20.42 1620th 1808 10.4%
2024 13.93 1753rd 1793 2.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Hefferan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.15 1074th 1964 45.3%
2019 30.64 1393rd 2019 31.0%
2022 12.61 1871st 1970 5.0%
2023 14.08 1808th 1957 7.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Hefferan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.86 1217th 1972 38.3%
2019 29.33 1422nd 2019 29.6%
2022 18.07 1685th 1977 14.8%
2023 14.11 1828th 1984 7.9%
2024 9.25 1942nd 1959 0.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Hefferan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.64 169th 698 75.8%
2019 57.52 222nd 711 68.8%
2022 34.93 428th 684 37.4%
2023 32.88 478th 692 30.9%
2024 23.20 586th 655 10.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Hefferan Elementary School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Hefferan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 13.76 1005th 1185 15.2%
2004 6.59 1117th 1204 7.2%
2005 19.79 977th 1209 19.2%
2006 19.87 1058th 1272 16.8%
2007 19.22 1081st 1287 16.0%
2008 33.09 959th 1293 25.8%
2009 42.09 891st 1318 32.4%
2010 55.29 706th 1327 46.8%
2011 61.86 587th 1344 56.3%
2012 62.75 561st 1365 58.9%
2013 61.41 524th 1367 61.7%
2014 63.92 464th 1322 64.9%
2015 32.07 856th 1302 34.3%
2016 41.61 715th 1294 44.7%
2017 47.35 629th 1293 51.4%
2018 32.85 843rd 1293 34.8%
2019 23.82 1046th 1356 22.9%
2021 23.27 962nd 1241 22.5%
2022 17.91 1158th 1369 15.4%
2023 22.52 1061st 1367 22.4%
2024 12.00 1291st 1363 5.3%
See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Hefferan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.21 649th 1161 44.1%
2019 36.28 783rd 1217 35.7%
2021 34.85 663rd 1019 34.9%
2022 25.47 976th 1221 20.1%
2023 32.36 858th 1234 30.5%
2024 16.34 1121st 1219 8.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Hefferan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.54 763rd 1226 37.8%
2019 22.19 1008th 1276 21.0%
2022 23.23 994th 1286 22.7%
2023 24.22 962nd 1275 24.5%
2024 14.88 1127th 1251 9.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Hefferan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.79 723rd 1223 40.9%
2019 27.05 930th 1296 28.2%
2022 16.98 1129th 1286 12.2%
2023 21.84 1031st 1292 20.2%
2024 13.88 1176th 1264 7.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Hefferan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.42 149th 511 70.8%
2019 53.24 192nd 565 66.0%
2021 43.77 177th 385 54.0%
2022 37.81 326th 573 43.1%
2023 44.02 273rd 569 52.0%
2024 25.84 440th 548 19.7%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Hefferan Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for Hefferan Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 n/a 654 n/a 2 2 n/a n/a 0 658
1990 1 615 n/a 2 n/a n/a n/a 0 618
1991 0 652 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 652
1992 1 647 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 648
1993 1 654 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 655
1994 0 612 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 612
1995 0 601 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 601
1996 0 601 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 601
1997 0 568 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 570
1998 0 564 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 564
1999 0 550 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 550
2000 1 555 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 556
2001 1 561 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 563
2002 1 557 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 558
2003 1 557 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 558
2004 0 558 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 558
2005 1 478 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 483
2006 0 468 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 471
2007 0 441 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 444
2008 0 446 1 2 0 n/a n/a 2 451
2009 1 417 0 4 1 n/a n/a 0 423
2010 0 328 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 330
2011 0 285 1 0 0 0 0 0 286
2012 0 255 1 1 0 0 0 0 257
2013 0 234 1 2 2 0 0 0 239
2014 0 408 0 4 1 0 1 0 414
2015 0 418 0 0 0 0 2 0 420
2016 1 413 0 4 0 0 2 0 420
2017 2 344 0 3 0 0 1 0 350
2018 2 338 0 5 0 0 0 0 345
2019 1 344 0 10 0 0 0 0 355
2020 1 252 0 13 0 0 0 0 266
2021 2 248 0 12 0 0 0 0 262
2022 1 226 0 10 0 0 0 0 237
2023 1 224 0 13 0 0 0 1 239

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Hefferan Elementary School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 658 30.0 21.9 n/a
1990 618 30.0 20.6 n/a
1991 652 31.0 21.0 n/a
1992 648 34.0 19.0 n/a
1993 655 34.0 19.3 n/a
1994 612 34.0 18.0 n/a
1995 601 33.0 18.2 n/a
1996 601 33.0 18.2 n/a
1997 570 33.0 17.3 n/a
1998 564 32.0 17.6 n/a
1999 550 31.0 17.7 n/a
2000 556 32.0 17.4 n/a
2001 563 31.0 18.2 n/a
2002 558 29.0 19.2 93.5
2003 558 29.0 19.2 93.5
2004 558 27.3 20.4 92.1
2005 483 28.9 16.7 94.4
2006 471 28.9 16.3 93
2007 444 18.0 24.7 85.1
2008 451 20.0 22.6 89.8
2009 423 23.0 18.4 88.4
2010 330 22.0 15.0 97
2011 286 14.0 20.4 93.7
2012 257 10.0 25.7 94.9
2013 239 15.2 15.6 94.1
2014 414 23.0 18.0 98.1
2015 420 19.0 22.1 97.6
2016 420 19.0 22.1 98.8
2017 350 17.0 20.5 98.3
2018 345 16.3 21.1 98
2019 355 17.0 20.8 97.5
2020 266 15.0 17.7 97.4
2021 262 n/a n/a n/a
2022 237 19.0 12.4 93.2
2023 239 18.0 13.2 92.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Hefferan Elementary School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 658 30.0 21.9 n/a
1990 618 30.0 20.6 n/a
1991 652 31.0 21.0 n/a
1992 648 34.0 19.0 n/a
1993 655 34.0 19.3 n/a
1994 612 34.0 18.0 n/a
1995 601 33.0 18.2 n/a
1996 601 33.0 18.2 n/a
1997 570 33.0 17.3 n/a
1998 564 32.0 17.6 n/a
1999 550 31.0 17.7 n/a
2000 556 32.0 17.4 n/a
2001 563 31.0 18.2 n/a
2002 558 29.0 19.2 93.5
2003 558 29.0 19.2 93.5
2004 558 27.3 20.4 92.1
2005 483 28.9 16.7 94.4
2006 471 28.9 16.3 93
2007 444 18.0 24.7 85.1
2008 451 20.0 22.6 89.8
2009 423 23.0 18.4 88.4
2010 330 22.0 15.0 97
2011 286 14.0 20.4 93.7
2012 257 10.0 25.7 94.9
2013 239 15.2 15.6 94.1
2014 414 23.0 18.0 98.1
2015 420 19.0 22.1 97.6
2016 420 19.0 22.1 98.8
2017 350 17.0 20.5 98.3
2018 345 16.3 21.1 98
2019 355 17.0 20.8 97.5
2020 266 15.0 17.7 97.4
2021 262 n/a n/a n/a
2022 237 19.0 12.4 93.2
2023 239 18.0 13.2 92.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Immunization Rates

Hefferan Elementary School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPPneumococcal Meningococcal
201589.5%91.6%89.3%89.3%36.3%89.3%91.1%6.6%
201696.1%96.8%96.5%96.5%40.5%95.8%69.7%13.4%5.3%
201794.3%94.0%94.0%94.0%38.3%93.2%93.2%13.7%10.9%
201898.3%98.6%98.6%98.6%41.9%98.3%98.0%19.2%22.4%
201996.4%96.4%96.4%96.4%43.9%96.1%96.7%19.4%20.3%
202488.0%93.7%93.7%93.7%98.9%93.1%85.7%7.4%25.7%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Hefferan Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,446 (11.5%) $11,147 (88.5%) $12,592
2020 $1,612 (11.2%) $12,731 (88.8%) $14,343
2021 $3,801 (21.8%) $13,656 (78.2%) $17,456
2022 $3,801 (21.8%) $13,656 (78.2%) $17,456
2023 $4,302 (20.0%) $17,235 (80.0%) $21,537
2024 $4,932 (17.3%) $23,526 (82.7%) $28,458

Data source: Illinois Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hefferan Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1478th of 2086 Elementary schoolsRanks 1928th of 2077 Elementary schools
 22%
Ranks 1046th of 1356 Middle schoolsRanks 1061st of 1367 Middle schools
 0.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hefferan Elementary School)48.77.4
 41.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Chicago Public Schools District 299)39.419.7
 19.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.428.8
 7.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hefferan Elementary School)42.17.4
 34.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Chicago Public Schools District 299)32.920.9
 12%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Illinois)40.633
 7.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hefferan Elementary School)27.34.8
 22.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Chicago Public Schools District 299)23.225
 1.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.735.4
 1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hefferan Elementary School)19.50
 19.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Chicago Public Schools District 299)24.116.4
 7.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)33.527.7
 5.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hefferan Elementary School)2.89.1
 6.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Chicago Public Schools District 299)24.124.1
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)37.935.2
 2.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hefferan Elementary School)2.80
 2.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Chicago Public Schools District 299)20.715
 5.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.825.6
 4.2%
5th Grade Science (Hefferan Elementary School)17.233.3
 16.1%
   5th Grade Science (Chicago Public Schools District 299)40.739.2
 1.5%
   5th Grade Science (Illinois)54.452.4
 2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Hefferan Elementary School)14.74.5
 10.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Chicago Public Schools District 299)22.824.7
 1.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Hefferan Elementary School)9.60
 9.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Chicago Public Schools District 299)17.714.6
 3.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Hefferan Elementary School)22.625
 2.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Chicago Public Schools District 299)28.229.7
 1.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)41.237.9
 3.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Hefferan Elementary School)3.85
 1.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Chicago Public Schools District 299)21.818.7
 3.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.926.9
 3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Hefferan Elementary School)26.344.8
 18.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Chicago Public Schools District 299)26.231.3
 5.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)39.640.5
 0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Hefferan Elementary School)2.90
 2.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Chicago Public Schools District 299)24.319.5
 4.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)32.625.7
 6.9%
8th Grade Science (Hefferan Elementary School)45.221.4
 23.8%
   8th Grade Science (Chicago Public Schools District 299)40.340.3
   8th Grade Science (Illinois)5552
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students355239
 32.7%
African American344224
 34.9%
American Indian00
Asian00
Hispanic1013
 30%
Pacific Islander00
White11
Two or More Races00
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients97.5%92.9%
 4.6%


Schools Near Hefferan Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Hefferan Elementary School

Students who attend Hefferan Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Marshall Metropolitan High School

Hefferan Elementary School ranks in the bottom 1.5% of Illinois elementary schools.

Students at Hefferan Elementary School are 94% African American, 5% Hispanic.

In the 2022-23 school year, 239 students attended Hefferan Elementary School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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