Empire Elementary School

Summary:

Empire Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Freeport, Illinois, serving grades PK-4 with a total enrollment of 325 students. The school is part of the Freeport School District 145, which is ranked 730 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Empire Elementary School consistently performs significantly below the state and district averages in standardized test scores for both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 9% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 19.2% for the district and 41.2% for the state. The school also has a very high chronic absenteeism rate, reaching 41.1% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, Empire Elementary School struggles to serve its diverse student population effectively, ranking in the bottom 10-20% of Illinois elementary schools for several subgroups, including male students, White students, and students with disabilities. The school has a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 59.08% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year.

While the nearby schools within the Freeport School District 145, such as Center Elementary School, Lincoln-Douglas Elementary School, and Blackhawk Elementary School, also struggle academically, they perform significantly better than Empire Elementary School. For example, Center Elementary School had 32.7% of students proficient or better in ELA, compared to only 9% at Empire. Despite the challenges faced by Empire Elementary School, the district spends a relatively high amount per student, with $17,100 spent per student in the 2022-2023 school year, suggesting that the issue may not be solely a lack of funding, but rather how the resources are being utilized and targeted to address the specific needs of the school.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

 1325 Empire St
       Freeport, IL  61032-6114


(815) 232-0380

District: Freeport School District 145

SchoolDigger Rank:
1974th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,714 Help


Students who attend Empire Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Carl Sandburg Middle School
    Freeport Middle School
High:    Freeport High School

Student/teacher ratio:  19.1 Help
Number of students:  325

Racial breakdown:

White:
44.0%
African American:
26.5%
Two or more races:
18.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  59.1% Help


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 Compare Empire Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Empire Elementary School ranks worse than 95.5% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks last among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Freeport School District 145. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.95. (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 Empire Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Freeport School District 145.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Empire Elementary School is $17,714, which is the lowest among 5 elementary schools in the Freeport School District 145!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Empire Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Empire Elementary School 1974th of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Empire Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:


Freeport School District 145:

SchoolDigger ranks Freeport School District 145 730th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Empire Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Empire Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 60.24 975th 2020 51.7%
2004 62.96 899th 2030 55.7%
2005 44.07 1352nd 2022 33.1%
2006 54.70 1205th 2086 42.2%
2007 73.96 544th 2095 74.0%
2008 72.44 644th 2092 69.2%
2009 83.07 219th 2120 89.7%
2010 79.14 382nd 2139 82.1%
2011 70.12 732nd 2147 65.9%
2012 61.04 1021st 2166 52.9%
2013 47.18 1219th 2167 43.7%
2014 29.99 1536th 2093 26.6%
2015 36.56 1228th 2052 40.2%
2016 69.43 568th 2046 72.2%
2017 58.83 775th 2044 62.1%
2018 47.41 990th 2037 51.4%
2019 41.91 1155th 2086 44.6%
2021 25.78 1391st 1948 28.6%
2022 18.20 1735th 2082 16.7%
2023 14.57 1889th 2077 9.1%
2024 11.95 1974th 2067 4.5%
See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Empire Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 23.55 28th 40 30.0%
2022 16.65 87th 95 8.4%
2023 14.46 88th 93 5.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Empire Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.75 382nd 763 49.9%
2019 22.88 1046th 1194 12.4%
2022 24.85 927th 1113 16.7%
2023 31.22 762nd 1156 34.1%
2024 15.42 1188th 1195 0.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Empire Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.92 1034th 1765 41.4%
2019 34.56 1257th 1816 30.8%
2021 33.55 1031st 1514 31.9%
2022 26.73 1378th 1763 21.8%
2023 19.29 1650th 1808 8.7%
2024 16.92 1684th 1793 6.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Empire Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.42 742nd 1964 62.2%
2019 40.70 1157th 2019 42.7%
2021 30.36 1140th 1680 32.1%
2022 23.70 1490th 1970 24.4%
2023 16.75 1716th 1957 12.3%
2024 15.96 1713th 1942 11.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Empire Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 38.18 485th 907 46.5%
2024 18.86 876th 886 1.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Empire Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.79 1145th 1972 41.9%
2019 44.05 1053rd 2019 47.8%
2021 21.05 1374th 1707 19.5%
2022 15.57 1780th 1977 10.0%
2023 14.66 1807th 1984 8.9%
2024 10.26 1924th 1959 1.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Empire Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 24.59 620th 684 9.4%
2023 28.22 549th 692 20.7%
2024 21.93 604th 655 7.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Empire Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.59 946th 1463 35.3%
2019 44.00 849th 1462 41.9%
2021 19.31 1148th 1308 12.2%
2022 9.68 1366th 1425 4.1%
2023 4.61 1404th 1419 1.1%
2024 4.59 1377th 1392 1.1%
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.

Empire 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 Empire Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 395 45 10 n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 450
1990 406 34 12 2 n/a n/a n/a 0 454
1991 419 29 9 2 0 n/a n/a 0 459
1992 414 25 11 0 0 n/a n/a 0 450
1993 417 24 12 0 0 n/a n/a 0 453
1994 414 36 9 2 0 n/a n/a 0 461
1995 381 42 4 3 0 n/a n/a 0 430
1996 381 42 4 3 0 n/a n/a 0 430
1997 343 40 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 388
1998 271 19 1 5 0 n/a n/a 0 296
1999 268 32 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 307
2000 235 31 4 6 0 n/a n/a 0 276
2001 225 37 2 7 1 n/a n/a 0 272
2002 195 44 5 11 0 n/a n/a 0 255
2003 195 44 5 11 0 n/a n/a 0 255
2004 209 51 5 13 1 n/a n/a 0 279
2005 199 59 9 12 3 n/a n/a 13 295
2006 232 44 7 9 2 n/a n/a 21 315
2007 204 33 4 11 1 n/a n/a 34 287
2008 212 35 4 8 0 n/a n/a 36 295
2009 191 35 4 4 0 n/a n/a 36 270
2010 174 32 4 4 0 n/a n/a 36 250
2011 186 32 7 13 0 3 23 0 264
2012 208 43 7 16 1 1 26 0 302
2013 210 37 3 16 2 1 25 0 294
2014 200 35 5 16 1 0 22 0 279
2015 205 34 2 15 0 0 29 0 285
2016 193 44 4 10 0 0 34 0 285
2017 180 59 6 7 0 0 29 0 281
2018 180 42 5 10 0 0 28 0 265
2019 157 44 4 10 1 0 34 0 250
2020 136 63 6 13 1 0 32 0 251
2021 143 78 5 19 1 0 63 0 309
2022 151 102 4 27 0 0 66 0 350
2023 143 86 4 31 0 0 61 0 325

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 Empire Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 450 23.2 19.3 n/a
1990 454 21.7 20.9 n/a
1991 459 21.3 21.5 n/a
1992 450 21.3 21.1 n/a
1993 453 19.3 23.5 n/a
1994 461 20.3 22.7 n/a
1995 430 21.8 19.7 n/a
1996 430 21.8 19.7 n/a
1997 388 19.8 19.6 n/a
1998 296 19.8 14.9 n/a
1999 307 18.0 17.1 n/a
2000 276 18.0 15.3 n/a
2001 272 17.0 16.0 n/a
2002 255 18.7 13.6 36.1
2003 255 18.7 13.6 36.1
2004 279 18.7 14.9 38.7
2005 295 21.8 13.5 55
2006 315 21.9 14.4 40.1
2007 287 20.0 14.4 44.7
2008 295 22.0 13.4 47.5
2009 270 20.4 13.2 52.6
2010 250 20.4 12.2 56.1
2011 264 21.0 12.5 50.8
2012 302 20.9 14.4 59.9
2013 294 39.0 7.5 63.9
2014 279 20.0 13.9 58.8
2015 285 20.0 14.2 60.7
2016 285 20.0 14.2 51.6
2017 281 21.0 13.3 59.1
2018 265 21.0 12.6 52.1
2019 250 19.1 13.0 54.4
2020 251 19.6 12.7 56.6
2021 309 n/a n/a n/a
2022 350 23.8 14.6 56
2023 325 17.0 19.1 59.1

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 Empire Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 450 23.2 19.3 n/a
1990 454 21.7 20.9 n/a
1991 459 21.3 21.5 n/a
1992 450 21.3 21.1 n/a
1993 453 19.3 23.5 n/a
1994 461 20.3 22.7 n/a
1995 430 21.8 19.7 n/a
1996 430 21.8 19.7 n/a
1997 388 19.8 19.6 n/a
1998 296 19.8 14.9 n/a
1999 307 18.0 17.1 n/a
2000 276 18.0 15.3 n/a
2001 272 17.0 16.0 n/a
2002 255 18.7 13.6 36.1
2003 255 18.7 13.6 36.1
2004 279 18.7 14.9 38.7
2005 295 21.8 13.5 55
2006 315 21.9 14.4 40.1
2007 287 20.0 14.4 44.7
2008 295 22.0 13.4 47.5
2009 270 20.4 13.2 52.6
2010 250 20.4 12.2 56.1
2011 264 21.0 12.5 50.8
2012 302 20.9 14.4 59.9
2013 294 39.0 7.5 63.9
2014 279 20.0 13.9 58.8
2015 285 20.0 14.2 60.7
2016 285 20.0 14.2 51.6
2017 281 21.0 13.3 59.1
2018 265 21.0 12.6 52.1
2019 250 19.1 13.0 54.4
2020 251 19.6 12.7 56.6
2021 309 n/a n/a n/a
2022 350 23.8 14.6 56
2023 325 17.0 19.1 59.1

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

Empire Elementary School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPPneumococcal
2015100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%8.1%100.0%100.0%8.1%
201699.3%99.3%99.3%99.3%9.1%99.3%99.3%9.1%
201797.9%98.2%98.2%98.2%8.8%98.2%97.9%8.5%
201896.1%96.9%96.9%96.9%8.6%96.5%96.1%9.0%
201996.4%97.6%97.6%97.6%10.4%97.2%97.2%10.4%
202195.5%95.2%95.2%95.2%97.5%95.2%95.5%12.1%
202298.5%98.8%98.8%98.8%100.0%98.8%99.1%13.6%
202399.1%99.1%99.1%99.1%99.1%99.1%99.1%12.0%
202497.4%97.8%97.8%97.8%97.8%97.8%96.0%13.2%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Empire Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,753 (13.1%) $11,660 (86.9%) $13,413
2020 $2,099 (15.6%) $11,396 (84.4%) $13,495
2021 $2,402 (16.3%) $12,291 (83.6%) $14,694
2022 $2,402 (16.3%) $12,291 (83.6%) $14,694
2023 $4,694 (27.5%) $12,406 (72.5%) $17,100
2024 $3,708 (20.9%) $14,006 (79.1%) $17,714

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Empire 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 1155th of 2086 Elementary schoolsRanks 1889th of 2077 Elementary schools
 35.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Empire Elementary School)17.76.8
 10.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Freeport School District 145)1911
 8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.428.8
 7.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Empire Elementary School)33.38.5
 24.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Freeport School District 145)29.414.6
 14.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Illinois)40.633
 7.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Empire Elementary School)40.78.5
 32.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Freeport School District 145)22.116
 6.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.735.4
 1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Empire Elementary School)30.55.1
 25.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Freeport School District 145)18.417.6
 0.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)33.527.7
 5.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students250325
 30%
African American4486
 95.5%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian44
Hispanic1031
 210%
Pacific Islander00
White157143
 8.9%
Two or More Races3461
 79.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients54.4%59.1%
 4.7%


Schools Near Empire Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Empire Elementary School

Empire Elementary School ranks in the bottom 4.5% of Illinois elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 325 students attended Empire Elementary School.

Students at Empire Elementary School are 44% White, 26% African American, 19% Two or more races, 10% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

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

Middle : Carl Sandburg Middle School
Middle : Freeport Middle School
High : Freeport High 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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