Is Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?

Yes! Hillcrest Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 68 th of 2067 Illinois elementary schools.

How many students attend Hillcrest Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 372 students attended Hillcrest Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Hillcrest Elementary School?

Students at Hillcrest Elementary School are 81% White, 8% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 4% Asian.

Hillcrest Elementary School

Summary:

Hillcrest Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Downers Grove, Illinois, serving 358 students from pre-kindergarten to 6th grade. This exceptional school is part of the Downers Grove GSD 58 district, which is ranked 95 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Hillcrest Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Illinois, with a statewide ranking between 68-206 over the past 5 years. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics are significantly higher than the district and state averages across all grade levels. In 2023-2024, Hillcrest's ELA proficiency rate for all grades was 71.7% compared to 61.5% for the district and 41.2% for the state. Similarly, its Mathematics proficiency rate was 68.6% compared to 55.3% for the district and 28.4% for the state. Hillcrest's 5th grade Science proficiency rate was an impressive 82.9% in 2023-2024, outperforming the district (76.6%) and state (53.2%). The school's male and female students, as well as its White and special education students, consistently rank among the top in the state, demonstrating the school's ability to provide equitable educational opportunities.

While Hillcrest outperforms the district and state averages, some nearby schools within the same district, such as Fairmount Elementary and Kingsley Elementary, also demonstrate strong academic performance, with proficiency rates comparable to or even exceeding Hillcrest in certain subject areas and grade levels. Additionally, Hillcrest's chronic absenteeism rate, while relatively low, has increased in recent years and could be an area of focus for improvement.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

1435 Jefferson Ave
Downers Grove, IL 60516-1236

(630) 719-5840

District: Downers Grove GSD 58

SchoolDigger Rank:
68^th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,047

Student/teacher ratio: 15.7

Number of students: 372

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.9%

Two or more races:

7.8%

Hispanic:

6.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 7.9%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Hillcrest Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hillcrest Elementary School ranks better than 96.7% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks first among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Downers Grove GSD 58 School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.24. (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: White (80.9%), two or more races (7.8%), Hispanic (6.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary School is 15.7. 6 elementary schools in the Downers Grove GSD 58 School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Hillcrest Elementary School employs 23.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hillcrest Elementary School is $16,047. 9 elementary schools in the Downers Grove GSD 58 School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Hillcrest Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Hillcrest Elementary School 68^th of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Hillcrest Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Downers Grove GSD 58:

SchoolDigger ranks Downers Grove GSD 58 95^th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Hillcrest Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Hillcrest Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	90.06	33^rd	2020	98.4%
2004	89.14	48^th	2030	97.6%
2005	84.90	128^th	2022	93.7%
2006	80.92	257^th	2086	87.7%
2007	84.93	99^th	2095	95.3%
2008	85.64	119^th	2092	94.3%
2009	86.16	105^th	2120	95.0%
2010	85.07	143^rd	2139	93.3%
2011	83.47	204^th	2147	90.5%
2012	83.45	211^th	2166	90.3%
2013	91.93	87^th	2167	96.0%
2014	87.91	191^st	2093	90.9%
2015	71.81	498^th	2052	75.7%
2016	72.45	506^th	2046	75.3%
2017	69.29	584^th	2044	71.4%
2018	71.68	529^th	2037	74.0%
2019	75.93	438^th	2086	79.0%
2021	81.30	313^th	1948	83.9%
2022	88.99	206^th	2082	90.1%
2023	95.34	81^st	2077	96.1%
2024	96.24	68^th	2067	96.7%

See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Hillcrest Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2021	84.30	56^th	640	91.3%
2022	84.32	84^th	1113	92.5%
2023	96.76	22^nd	1156	98.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Hillcrest Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	70.57	529^th	1964	73.1%
2019	73.47	468^th	2019	76.8%
2021	71.76	401^st	1680	76.1%
2022	86.30	226^th	1970	88.5%
2023	94.62	79^th	1957	96.0%
2024	93.74	97^th	1942	95.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Hillcrest Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	69.80	520^th	1972	73.6%
2019	74.55	438^th	2019	78.3%
2021	82.33	215^th	1707	87.4%
2022	87.52	200^th	1977	89.9%
2023	93.69	89^th	1984	95.5%
2024	96.26	52^nd	1959	97.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Hillcrest Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	57.10	590^th	1463	59.7%
2019	62.24	507^th	1462	65.3%
2021	69.35	333^rd	1308	74.5%
2022	81.25	190^th	1425	86.7%
2023	89.32	94^th	1419	93.4%
2024	89.71	91^st	1392	93.5%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for White 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.

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Monday, January 9, 2012

Hillcrest is an amazing school. I go there currently, and have a great time every single day! The teachers are amazing, and the students are extremely. I have never once been bullied! I am an above average student. At other schools I've attended I have felt not challenged, but Hillcrest is much different! It is a school for all types of children. I attend a gifted and talented program once a week, while kids who are lagging attend special classes through out the day that help them learn at their own pace. I think Hillcrest is a fantastic school, and that anyone who goes there will be surprised (in a good way!). Close Quote

Enrollment information for Hillcrest Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	396	5	5	3	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	409
1989	415	3	10	4	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	432
1990	435	7	9	6	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	457
1991	457	7	10	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	480
1992	447	4	11	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	472
1993	429	3	10	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	451
1994	504	2	10	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	526
1995	497	0	11	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	513
1996	497	0	11	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	513
1997	479	0	11	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	499
1998	483	2	10	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	501
1999	457	2	10	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	477
2000	466	1	10	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	484
2001	470	1	13	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	489
2002	416	3	13	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	442
2003	416	3	13	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	442
2004	413	4	14	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	440
2005	416	5	16	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	449
2006	403	4	13	15	2	n/a	n/a	0	437
2007	388	4	12	16	2	n/a	n/a	6	428
2008	379	3	16	15	1	n/a	n/a	1	415
2009	379	4	19	13	0	n/a	n/a	10	425
2010	372	8	19	13	0	n/a	n/a	14	426
2011	350	8	18	25	0	0	5	0	406
2012	327	3	17	29	0	0	7	0	383
2013	318	7	18	28	0	0	9	0	380
2014	329	7	18	26	0	0	9	0	389
2015	316	9	15	22	0	0	10	0	372
2016	327	7	13	19	0	0	10	0	376
2017	330	12	10	19	0	0	15	0	386
2018	342	9	12	16	0	0	20	0	399
2019	328	8	13	17	0	0	17	0	383
2020	310	3	12	11	0	1	19	0	356
2021	300	2	15	19	0	1	23	0	360
2022	301	3	13	21	0	1	27	0	366
2023	290	1	15	22	0	1	29	0	358
2024	301	3	14	24	0	1	29	0	372

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 Hillcrest Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	409	24.1	16.9	n/a
1989	432	25.0	17.2	n/a
1990	457	25.5	17.9	n/a
1991	480	25.0	19.2	n/a
1992	472	23.5	20.0	n/a
1993	451	22.0	20.5	n/a
1994	526	25.5	20.6	n/a
1995	513	26.5	19.4	n/a
1996	513	26.5	19.4	n/a
1997	499	25.7	19.4	n/a
1998	501	25.7	19.5	n/a
1999	477	25.5	18.7	n/a
2000	484	24.5	19.8	n/a
2001	489	23.6	20.7	n/a
2002	442	26.0	17.0	0
2003	442	26.0	17.0	0
2004	440	25.5	17.3	0
2005	449	25.5	17.6	0
2006	437	25.0	17.5	0
2007	428	21.0	20.4	0
2008	415	19.0	21.8	0
2009	425	24.0	17.7	0
2010	426	24.8	17.1	0
2011	406	25.8	15.6	0
2012	383	25.0	15.3	1.3
2013	380	30.4	12.4	3.4
2014	389	20.0	19.4	3.6
2015	372	24.0	15.5	6.2
2016	376	21.0	17.9	8
2017	386	23.9	16.1	9.3
2018	399	26.0	15.3	7
2019	383	24.0	15.9	6.5
2020	356	23.0	15.4	4.5
2021	360	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	366	21.9	16.6	7.9
2023	358	24.1	14.8	n/a
2024	372	23.5	15.7	n/a

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 Hillcrest Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	409	24.1	16.9	n/a
1989	432	25.0	17.2	n/a
1990	457	25.5	17.9	n/a
1991	480	25.0	19.2	n/a
1992	472	23.5	20.0	n/a
1993	451	22.0	20.5	n/a
1994	526	25.5	20.6	n/a
1995	513	26.5	19.4	n/a
1996	513	26.5	19.4	n/a
1997	499	25.7	19.4	n/a
1998	501	25.7	19.5	n/a
1999	477	25.5	18.7	n/a
2000	484	24.5	19.8	n/a
2001	489	23.6	20.7	n/a
2002	442	26.0	17.0	0
2003	442	26.0	17.0	0
2004	440	25.5	17.3	0
2005	449	25.5	17.6	0
2006	437	25.0	17.5	0
2007	428	21.0	20.4	0
2008	415	19.0	21.8	0
2009	425	24.0	17.7	0
2010	426	24.8	17.1	0
2011	406	25.8	15.6	0
2012	383	25.0	15.3	1.3
2013	380	30.4	12.4	3.4
2014	389	20.0	19.4	3.6
2015	372	24.0	15.5	6.2
2016	376	21.0	17.9	8
2017	386	23.9	16.1	9.3
2018	399	26.0	15.3	7
2019	383	24.0	15.9	6.5
2020	356	23.0	15.4	4.5
2021	360	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	366	21.9	16.6	7.9
2023	358	24.1	14.8	n/a
2024	372	23.5	15.7	n/a

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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