Is Garfield Elementary School a good school?

Garfield Elementary School ranks 1441 st of 2067 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Garfield Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 219 students attended Garfield Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Garfield Elementary School?

Students at Garfield Elementary School are 87% Hispanic, 11% African American, 1% White.

What schools do graduates of Garfield Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Garfield Elementary School usually go on to attend: High : Bloom High School

Garfield Elementary School

Summary:

Garfield Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 215 students in grades K-5 in Chicago Heights, Illinois, which is part of the Chicago Heights School District 170. The school has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of Illinois elementary schools over the past decade, with a current ranking of 1441 out of 2067 schools and a 2-star rating.

Garfield Elementary School faces significant challenges, including very high chronic absenteeism rates, consistently low test scores across all grade levels and subjects compared to state and district averages, and a very high percentage of low-socioeconomic status students. For example, in 2023-2024, only 21.5% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 41.2% statewide, and only 15% were proficient or better in Math, compared to 28.4% statewide. However, the school's student subgroups, such as Hispanic students and English Language Learners, perform relatively better compared to the overall school performance.

Interestingly, Garfield Elementary's performance is generally lower than the other nearby schools in the Chicago Heights School District 170, such as Kennedy Elementary and U.S. Grant Elementary, which have higher test scores and lower chronic absenteeism rates. Additionally, the school has relatively high per-student spending and a low student-teacher ratio, but these factors do not seem to be translating into improved academic outcomes, suggesting the need for more comprehensive and effective interventions to address the underlying challenges.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

140 E 23rd St
Chicago Heights, IL 60411-4247

(708) 756-4150

District: Chicago Heights School District 170

SchoolDigger Rank:
1441^st of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,582

Students who attend Garfield Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Bloom High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 219

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

87.2%

African American:

11.4%

White:

1.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.6%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Garfield Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Garfield Elementary School ranks worse than 69.7% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 7^th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Chicago Heights School District 170. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.72. (See more...)

Compare Details Garfield Elementary School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2015 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.37. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a 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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (87.2%), African American (11.4%), White (1.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 98.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Garfield Elementary School is 13.1. 5 elementary schools in the Chicago Heights School District 170 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Garfield Elementary School employs 16.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Garfield Elementary School is $19,582. 7 elementary schools in the Chicago Heights School District 170 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Garfield Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Garfield Elementary School 1441^st of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Garfield Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Chicago Heights School District 170:

SchoolDigger ranks Chicago Heights School District 170 602^nd of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Garfield Elementary School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	25.36	1607^th	2020	20.4%
2004	21.37	1695^th	2030	16.5%
2005	16.28	1771^st	2022	12.4%
2006	18.38	1805^th	2086	13.5%
2007	24.79	1755^th	2095	16.2%
2008	32.66	1582^nd	2092	24.4%
2009	35.79	1551^st	2120	26.8%
2010	35.85	1556^th	2139	27.3%
2011	42.84	1425^th	2147	33.6%
2012	34.38	1601^st	2166	26.1%
2013	33.71	1517^th	2167	30.0%
2014	26.15	1626^th	2093	22.3%
2015	14.70	1852^nd	2052	9.7%
2016	26.13	1530^th	2046	25.2%
2017	23.39	1593^rd	2044	22.1%
2018	27.31	1489^th	2037	26.9%
2019	33.33	1364^th	2086	34.6%
2021	21.72	1513^th	1948	22.3%
2022	47.14	1010^th	2082	51.5%
2023	36.90	1240^th	2077	40.3%
2024	28.72	1441^st	2067	30.3%

See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	60.51	178^th	718	75.2%
2019	40.41	441^st	743	40.6%
2021	42.74	248^th	537	53.8%
2022	55.97	227^th	768	70.4%
2023	43.73	378^th	788	52.0%
2024	63.15	168^th	826	79.7%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	46.08	897^th	1765	49.2%
2019	53.93	713^th	1816	60.7%
2021	36.73	942^nd	1514	37.8%
2022	72.29	286^th	1763	83.8%
2023	59.06	588^th	1808	67.5%
2024	45.39	915^th	1793	49.0%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	20.96	1589^th	1964	19.1%
2019	24.52	1563^rd	2019	22.6%
2021	25.72	1229^th	1680	26.8%
2022	41.78	1047^th	1970	46.9%
2023	40.07	1101^st	1957	43.7%
2024	27.76	1386^th	1942	28.6%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	35.62	1226^th	1972	37.8%
2019	39.96	1157^th	2019	42.7%
2021	15.75	1541^st	1707	9.7%
2022	50.91	861^st	1977	56.4%
2023	33.02	1256^th	1984	36.7%
2024	30.29	1312^th	1959	33.0%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	39.75	552^nd	938	41.2%
2019	48.12	449^th	955	53.0%
2021	36.78	447^th	742	39.8%
2022	66.51	212^th	954	77.8%
2023	54.98	350^th	970	63.9%
2024	44.58	481^st	959	49.8%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

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

Rank History for Garfield Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	19.93	947^th	1185	20.1%
2004	33.67	858^th	1204	28.7%
2005	25.10	932^nd	1209	22.9%
2006	13.98	1102^nd	1272	13.4%
2007	15.40	1108^th	1287	13.9%
2008	12.33	1147^th	1293	11.3%
2009	16.52	1136^th	1318	13.8%
2010	17.80	1144^th	1327	13.8%
2011	27.47	1082^nd	1344	19.5%
2012	38.36	951^st	1365	30.3%
2013	20.65	1138^th	1367	16.8%
2014	9.87	1229^th	1322	7.0%
2015	14.37	1173^rd	1302	9.9%

See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for Garfield Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	45	61	n/a	229	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	335
1990	44	55	n/a	257	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	356
1991	55	56	0	283	0	n/a	n/a	0	394
1992	49	52	0	291	0	n/a	n/a	0	392
1993	29	39	0	279	0	n/a	n/a	0	347
1994	43	54	0	263	0	n/a	n/a	0	360
1995	19	48	0	261	0	n/a	n/a	0	328
1996	19	48	0	261	0	n/a	n/a	0	328
1997	18	41	0	261	1	n/a	n/a	0	321
1998	23	65	0	326	1	n/a	n/a	0	415
1999	19	71	0	284	0	n/a	n/a	0	374
2000	17	63	0	295	1	n/a	n/a	0	376
2001	19	71	1	335	0	n/a	n/a	0	426
2002	24	66	0	345	1	n/a	n/a	0	436
2003	24	66	0	345	1	n/a	n/a	0	436
2004	17	62	1	349	1	n/a	n/a	0	430
2005	12	68	1	340	1	n/a	n/a	8	430
2006	11	49	0	327	1	n/a	n/a	9	397
2007	9	42	1	343	0	n/a	n/a	7	402
2008	12	61	1	325	0	n/a	n/a	6	405
2009	13	49	0	384	1	n/a	n/a	19	466
2010	3	41	0	357	1	n/a	n/a	13	415
2011	1	47	0	377	1	0	15	0	441
2012	8	43	0	389	0	0	2	0	442
2013	8	28	0	419	0	0	3	0	458
2014	9	17	0	395	0	0	7	0	428
2015	7	17	0	377	0	0	9	0	410
2016	7	17	0	364	0	0	8	0	396
2017	8	17	0	298	0	0	9	0	332
2018	6	25	0	284	0	0	11	0	326
2019	7	17	0	273	0	0	8	0	305
2020	3	24	0	261	0	0	8	0	296
2021	1	15	0	184	0	0	2	0	202
2022	2	16	0	197	0	0	1	0	216
2023	0	21	0	190	0	0	4	0	215
2024	3	25	0	191	0	0	0	0	219

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 Garfield Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	335	18.0	18.6	n/a
1990	356	22.0	16.1	n/a
1991	394	19.0	20.7	n/a
1992	392	18.0	21.7	n/a
1993	347	21.0	16.5	n/a
1994	360	20.0	18.0	n/a
1995	328	21.0	15.6	n/a
1996	328	21.0	15.6	n/a
1997	321	20.0	16.1	n/a
1998	415	21.0	19.8	n/a
1999	374	20.0	18.7	n/a
2000	376	21.0	17.9	n/a
2001	426	21.0	20.3	n/a
2002	436	27.0	16.1	99.3
2003	436	27.0	16.1	99.3
2004	430	30.0	14.3	97.9
2005	430	26.0	16.5	98.1
2006	397	26.0	15.3	98.7
2007	402	27.0	14.9	93.7
2008	405	26.0	15.6	96.7
2009	466	28.0	16.6	90.8
2010	415	27.0	15.3	102.5
2011	441	26.0	16.9	98.6
2012	442	29.0	15.2	97.5
2013	458	29.0	15.7	98.9
2014	428	24.0	17.8	99.3
2015	410	29.0	14.1	99.3
2016	396	31.0	12.7	100
2017	332	27.0	12.2	99.1
2018	326	27.0	12.0	100
2019	305	29.0	10.5	99.7
2020	296	27.0	10.9	99.7
2021	202	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	216	17.0	12.7	99.1
2023	215	19.0	11.3	96.7
2024	219	16.7	13.1	98.6

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 Garfield Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	335	18.0	18.6	n/a
1990	356	22.0	16.1	n/a
1991	394	19.0	20.7	n/a
1992	392	18.0	21.7	n/a
1993	347	21.0	16.5	n/a
1994	360	20.0	18.0	n/a
1995	328	21.0	15.6	n/a
1996	328	21.0	15.6	n/a
1997	321	20.0	16.1	n/a
1998	415	21.0	19.8	n/a
1999	374	20.0	18.7	n/a
2000	376	21.0	17.9	n/a
2001	426	21.0	20.3	n/a
2002	436	27.0	16.1	99.3
2003	436	27.0	16.1	99.3
2004	430	30.0	14.3	97.9
2005	430	26.0	16.5	98.1
2006	397	26.0	15.3	98.7
2007	402	27.0	14.9	93.7
2008	405	26.0	15.6	96.7
2009	466	28.0	16.6	90.8
2010	415	27.0	15.3	102.5
2011	441	26.0	16.9	98.6
2012	442	29.0	15.2	97.5
2013	458	29.0	15.7	98.9
2014	428	24.0	17.8	99.3
2015	410	29.0	14.1	99.3
2016	396	31.0	12.7	100
2017	332	27.0	12.2	99.1
2018	326	27.0	12.0	100
2019	305	29.0	10.5	99.7
2020	296	27.0	10.9	99.7
2021	202	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	216	17.0	12.7	99.1
2023	215	19.0	11.3	96.7
2024	219	16.7	13.1	98.6

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.

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