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Union Elementary School

Summary:

Union Elementary School is a public K-8 school in Joliet, Illinois, serving 115 students and part of the Union School District 81, which is ranked 147 out of 813 districts in the state.

Union Elementary School is a standout institution, consistently outperforming the state average in both English Language Arts (60.8% proficiency vs. 41.2%) and Mathematics (51.4% vs. 28.4%) across all grade levels. This strong academic performance is a key differentiator for the school. Additionally, Union Elementary has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 8.4 to 9.1 over the past few years, suggesting a more personalized learning environment. When compared to nearby schools, such as Woodland Elementary School (part of Joliet PSD 86), Union Elementary's proficiency rates are significantly higher, highlighting the quality of education it provides.

While Union Elementary School faces some challenges, such as fluctuations in chronic absenteeism rates, it has maintained a strong academic performance over the years, with its statewide ranking consistently in the top 25% of Illinois elementary schools. This suggests a stable and effective educational program that is delivering positive outcomes for students. The school's increased spending per student, from $23,876 in 2019-2020 to $29,385 in 2022-2023, indicates a commitment to investing in resources and programs to support student learning.


Detail:

Public K-8

 1661 Cherry Hill Rd
       Joliet, IL  60433-8508

(815) 726-5218

District: Union School District 81

SchoolDigger Rank:
335th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $28,891 Help


Students who attend Union Elementary School usually attend:

High:    Joliet Central High School

Student/teacher ratio:  9.1 Help
Number of students:  115

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
42.6%
White:
38.3%
African American:
12.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  52.2% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Union Elementary School ranks better than 83.8% of elementary schools in Illinois. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 81.3. (See more...)
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Compare Details Union Elementary School ranks better than 82.3% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 78.77. (See more...)
Help
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
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Union Elementary School is $28,891.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Union Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Union Elementary School 241st of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Union Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Union School District 81:

SchoolDigger ranks Union School District 81 147th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Union Elementary School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Union Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 38.37 1410th 2020 30.2%
2004 37.17 1468th 2030 27.7%
2005 23.87 1682nd 2022 16.8%
2006 17.82 1810th 2086 13.2%
2007 26.12 1736th 2095 17.1%
2008 49.69 1273rd 2092 39.1%
2009 33.55 1590th 2120 25.0%
2010 39.61 1486th 2139 30.5%
2011 42.35 1442nd 2147 32.8%
2012 33.55 1612th 2166 25.6%
2013 33.82 1514th 2167 30.1%
2014 40.83 1299th 2093 37.9%
2015 55.55 795th 2052 61.3%
2017 46.14 1036th 2044 49.3%
2018 73.95 474th 2037 76.7%
2019 62.58 723rd 2086 65.3%
2022 90.01 173rd 2082 91.7%
2023 87.44 222nd 2077 89.3%
2024 81.30 335th 2067 83.8%
See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Union Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 58.64 765th 2019 62.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

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

Rank History for Union Elementary School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Union Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 27.51 891st 1185 24.8%
2004 36.77 817th 1204 32.1%
2005 28.78 902nd 1209 25.4%
2006 46.15 799th 1272 37.2%
2007 40.01 890th 1287 30.8%
2008 22.88 1059th 1293 18.1%
2009 46.14 832nd 1318 36.9%
2010 46.35 844th 1327 36.4%
2011 22.28 1132nd 1344 15.8%
2012 61.19 592nd 1365 56.6%
2013 33.46 967th 1367 29.3%
2014 37.39 864th 1322 34.6%
2015 42.03 681st 1302 47.7%
2016 39.71 736th 1294 43.1%
2017 61.43 430th 1293 66.7%
2019 69.76 356th 1356 73.7%
2022 98.32 19th 1369 98.6%
2024 78.77 241st 1363 82.3%
See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Union Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 96.96 26th 1286 98.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female 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.

Union Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
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District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, October 17, 2020

Open Quote Amazing opportunities for a great education plus we get tax money returned to us every year! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Union Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 130 56 8 5 n/a n/a n/a 0 199
1989 119 52 9 6 n/a n/a n/a 0 186
1990 126 48 7 10 1 n/a n/a 0 192
1991 129 46 10 12 0 n/a n/a 0 197
1992 131 53 5 13 0 n/a n/a 0 202
1993 134 49 6 10 0 n/a n/a 0 199
1994 127 59 5 15 0 n/a n/a 0 206
1995 125 47 2 13 0 n/a n/a 0 187
1996 125 47 2 13 0 n/a n/a 0 187
1997 128 54 2 10 0 n/a n/a 0 194
1998 144 37 1 11 0 n/a n/a 0 193
1999 142 42 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 191
2000 123 48 2 12 0 n/a n/a 0 185
2001 98 52 5 15 0 n/a n/a 0 170
2002 98 50 0 20 0 n/a n/a 0 168
2003 98 50 0 20 0 n/a n/a 0 168
2004 101 46 0 29 0 n/a n/a 0 176
2005 78 46 0 27 0 n/a n/a 0 151
2006 66 31 0 16 0 n/a n/a 15 128
2007 46 39 0 16 0 n/a n/a 8 109
2008 45 34 0 24 0 n/a n/a 17 120
2009 43 40 0 18 0 n/a n/a 24 125
2010 36 28 0 22 0 n/a n/a 19 105
2011 42 26 0 34 0 0 9 0 111
2012 42 31 0 23 0 0 16 0 112
2013 40 31 0 18 0 0 14 0 103
2014 31 28 0 21 0 0 10 0 90
2015 36 32 0 24 0 0 7 0 99
2016 42 24 0 25 0 0 7 0 98
2017 48 21 0 24 1 0 8 0 102
2018 47 20 0 21 0 0 3 0 91
2019 49 23 0 27 0 0 4 0 103
2020 55 20 0 26 0 0 4 0 105
2021 58 17 0 31 0 0 6 0 112
2022 48 15 0 44 0 0 7 0 114
2023 44 14 0 49 0 0 8 0 115

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 Union Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 199 10.9 18.2 n/a
1989 186 10.9 17.0 n/a
1990 192 10.7 17.9 n/a
1991 197 10.9 18.0 n/a
1992 202 11.4 17.7 n/a
1993 199 10.9 18.3 n/a
1994 206 11.0 18.7 n/a
1995 187 10.0 18.7 n/a
1996 187 10.0 18.7 n/a
1997 194 11.3 17.2 n/a
1998 193 11.2 17.2 n/a
1999 191 11.0 17.4 n/a
2000 185 12.0 15.4 n/a
2001 170 11.0 15.5 n/a
2002 168 11.0 15.3 29.8
2003 168 11.0 15.3 29.8
2004 176 10.0 17.6 n/a
2005 151 10.0 15.1 32.5
2006 128 11.0 11.6 42.5
2007 109 14.0 7.8 32.7
2008 120 11.0 10.9 42.7
2009 125 12.4 10.1 40.6
2010 105 12.4 8.4 0
2011 111 12.2 9.0 45.9
2012 112 12.2 9.1 54.5
2013 103 13.2 7.7 64.1
2014 90 12.4 7.2 67.8
2015 99 13.0 7.6 63.6
2016 98 14.0 7.0 46.9
2017 102 9.1 11.1 93.1
2018 91 11.4 7.9 39.6
2019 103 13.4 7.6 56.3
2020 105 14.0 7.5 55.2
2021 112 n/a n/a n/a
2022 114 13.4 8.4 45.6
2023 115 12.6 9.1 52.2

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 Union Elementary School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 199 10.9 18.2 n/a
1989 186 10.9 17.0 n/a
1990 192 10.7 17.9 n/a
1991 197 10.9 18.0 n/a
1992 202 11.4 17.7 n/a
1993 199 10.9 18.3 n/a
1994 206 11.0 18.7 n/a
1995 187 10.0 18.7 n/a
1996 187 10.0 18.7 n/a
1997 194 11.3 17.2 n/a
1998 193 11.2 17.2 n/a
1999 191 11.0 17.4 n/a
2000 185 12.0 15.4 n/a
2001 170 11.0 15.5 n/a
2002 168 11.0 15.3 29.8
2003 168 11.0 15.3 29.8
2004 176 10.0 17.6 n/a
2005 151 10.0 15.1 32.5
2006 128 11.0 11.6 42.5
2007 109 14.0 7.8 32.7
2008 120 11.0 10.9 42.7
2009 125 12.4 10.1 40.6
2010 105 12.4 8.4 0
2011 111 12.2 9.0 45.9
2012 112 12.2 9.1 54.5
2013 103 13.2 7.7 64.1
2014 90 12.4 7.2 67.8
2015 99 13.0 7.6 63.6
2016 98 14.0 7.0 46.9
2017 102 9.1 11.1 93.1
2018 91 11.4 7.9 39.6
2019 103 13.4 7.6 56.3
2020 105 14.0 7.5 55.2
2021 112 n/a n/a n/a
2022 114 13.4 8.4 45.6
2023 115 12.6 9.1 52.2

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

Union Elementary School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPPneumococcal Meningococcal
2015100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%37.7%100.0%99.1%5.3%
2016100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%43.8%100.0%64.3%8.0%8.9%
2017100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%36.0%100.0%100.0%3.6%18.0%
201899.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%35.4%100.0%99.0%4.0%31.3%
201999.0%99.0%99.0%99.0%34.0%99.0%99.0%34.0%
202197.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%29.1%
202299.1%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%98.2%26.6%
202397.3%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%99.1%98.2%26.1%
202498.4%99.2%99.2%99.2%99.2%97.6%97.6%23.0%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Union Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $675 (2.9%) $22,447 (97.1%) $23,122
2020 $475 (2.0%) $23,401 (98.0%) $23,876
2021 $1,025 (3.5%) $27,890 (96.5%) $28,914
2022 $1,025 (3.5%) $27,890 (96.5%) $28,914
2023 $1,935 (6.6%) $27,450 (93.4%) $29,385
2024 $1,757 (6.1%) $27,134 (93.9%) $28,891

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Union 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 723rd of 2086 Elementary schoolsRanks 222nd of 2077 Elementary schools
 24%
Ranks 356th of 1356 Middle schoolsRanks 19th of 1369 Middle schools
 24.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Union Elementary School)35.150
 14.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Union School District 81)35.150
 14.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.735.4
 1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Union Elementary School)52.650
 2.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Union School District 81)52.650
 2.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)33.527.7
 5.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Union Elementary School)5050
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Union School District 81)5050
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)37.930.1
 7.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Union Elementary School)33.350
 16.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Union School District 81)33.350
 16.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.823.9
 5.9%
5th Grade Science (Union Elementary School)58.375
 16.7%
   5th Grade Science (Union School District 81)58.375
 16.7%
   5th Grade Science (Illinois)54.450.7
 3.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Union Elementary School)66.760
 6.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Union School District 81)66.760
 6.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Union Elementary School)050
 50%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Union School District 81)050
 50%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Union Elementary School)61.670
 8.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Union School District 81)61.670
 8.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)41.232
 9.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Union Elementary School)30.870
 39.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Union School District 81)30.870
 39.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.925.8
 4.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Union Elementary School)7091.6
 21.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Union School District 81)7091.6
 21.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)39.630.3
 9.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students103115
 11.7%
African American2314
 39.1%
American Indian00
Asian00
Hispanic2749
 81.5%
Pacific Islander00
White4944
 10.2%
Two or More Races48
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients56.3%52.2%
 4.1%

Schools Near Union Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about Union Elementary School

Union Elementary School ranks 335th of 2067 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 115 students attended Union Elementary School.

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

High : Joliet Central High School

Students at Union Elementary School are 43% Hispanic, 38% White, 12% African American, 7% Two or more races.


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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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