Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Yes! Central Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 62 nd of 2067 Illinois elementary schools.

How many students attend Central Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 442 students attended Central Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary School?

Students at Central Elementary School are 82% White, 10% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 3% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Central Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Highcrest Middle School Middle : Wilmette Junior High School High : New Trier Township H S Winnetka

Central Elementary School

Summary:

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Wilmette, Illinois, serving grades K-4 with a total enrollment of 442 students. The school is part of the Wilmette School District 39, which is ranked 21 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. Central Elementary School has consistently maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past several years, ranking among the top elementary schools in the state.

Central Elementary School consistently outperforms the state and district averages in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) exams. In the 2023-2024 school year, 68.9% of all students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 78% for the Wilmette School District and 41.2% for the state of Illinois. In Mathematics, 67.8% of all students were proficient or better, compared to 64.3% for the district and 28.4% for the state. Central Elementary School's performance is particularly strong across various student subgroups, ranking in the top 39 out of 1,942 Illinois elementary schools for female students, the top 85 out of 1,959 for male students, the top 88 out of 1,392 for white students, the top 29 out of 1,195 for special education students, and the top 45 out of 886 for disabled students.

When compared to the other elementary schools in the Wilmette School District, such as Harper Elementary School and McKenzie Elementary School, Central Elementary School generally outperforms them on the IAR exams, particularly in ELA. However, the other schools still maintain strong academic performance, with all three schools ranking in the top 121 elementary schools in Illinois. Comparing Central Elementary School to schools in the neighboring Winnetka School District 36 and Evanston CCSD 65, Central Elementary School's academic performance is on par or slightly higher, with Greeley Elementary School in Winnetka and several Evanston schools also ranking among the top elementary schools in the state.

Detail:

Public K-4

910 Central Ave
Wilmette, IL 60091-2608

(847) 512-6100

District: Wilmette School District 39

SchoolDigger Rank:
62^nd of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,842

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Highcrest Middle School
	Wilmette Junior High School
High:	New Trier Township H S Winnetka

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 442

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.4%

Two or more races:

10.0%

Asian:

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 1.2%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Central Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Elementary School ranks better than 97% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 3^rd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Wilmette School District 39. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.54. (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 Central Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Wilmette School District 39. (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details

Compare

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Elementary School is $21,842. 2 elementary schools in the Wilmette School District 39 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Central Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Elementary School 62^nd of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Central Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

White students:

Wilmette School District 39:

SchoolDigger ranks Wilmette School District 39 21^st of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Central Elementary School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Central Elementary School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Central Elementary School

Compare

Rank History for all students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	86.95	122^nd	2020	94.0%
2004	90.15	21^st	2030	99.0%
2005	86.93	73^rd	2022	96.4%
2006	84.59	121^st	2086	94.2%
2007	84.91	100^th	2095	95.2%
2008	88.88	24^th	2092	98.9%
2009	87.22	73^rd	2120	96.6%
2010	85.75	118^th	2139	94.5%
2011	87.49	55^th	2147	97.4%
2012	86.44	79^th	2166	96.4%
2013	92.21	80^th	2167	96.3%
2014	93.23	46^th	2093	97.8%
2015	97.07	54^th	2052	97.4%
2016	97.83	23^rd	2046	98.9%
2017	91.39	138^th	2044	93.2%
2018	97.12	36^th	2037	98.2%
2019	94.99	64^th	2086	96.9%
2021	96.09	68^th	1948	96.5%
2022	98.29	22^nd	2082	98.9%
2023	97.55	32^nd	2077	98.5%
2024	96.54	62^nd	2067	97.0%

See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	62.93	302^nd	1194	74.7%
2021	96.08	12^th	640	98.1%
2022	85.62	75^th	1113	93.3%
2023	97.30	15^th	1156	98.7%
2024	96.82	29^th	1195	97.6%

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

Rank History for Female students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	97.84	10^th	1964	99.5%
2019	94.72	50^th	2019	97.5%
2021	94.03	65^th	1680	96.1%
2022	98.43	12^th	1970	99.4%
2023	97.85	23^rd	1957	98.8%
2024	96.99	39^th	1942	98.0%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	98.53	7^th	907	99.2%
2024	88.71	45^th	886	94.9%

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

Rank History for Male students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	94.34	77^th	1972	96.1%
2019	93.58	82^nd	2019	95.9%
2021	95.87	50^th	1707	97.1%
2022	96.24	41^st	1977	97.9%
2023	94.55	69^th	1984	96.5%
2024	94.65	85^th	1959	95.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	92.49	45^th	1463	96.9%
2019	87.42	104^th	1462	92.9%
2021	88.41	93^rd	1308	92.9%
2022	95.13	22^nd	1425	98.5%
2023	92.12	52^nd	1419	96.3%
2024	89.86	88^th	1392	93.7%

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 parent
Friday, September 14, 2012

This is a terrific elementary school. The staff are talented, dedicated and experienced. They run the place like a well-oiled machine. But what really sets it apart is the sense of community and compassion that runs through its veins. From the front office, to the classrooms, to the cafeteria, PTA and student body, these are people who understand the vital importance of kindness, connectedness and personal integrity. The children absolutely pick up on it and it contributes to their growth as people. This is what the ISATS don't test for, but what every parent hopes their child will learn outside the home. Kudos to all the teachers and staff who are fostering much more than just academic achievement in our school! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	508	2	6	8	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	524
1990	529	5	8	5	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	547
1991	546	4	6	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	563
1992	578	7	11	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	598
1993	615	1	12	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	630
1994	625	2	11	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	644
1995	560	1	8	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	576
1996	560	1	8	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	576
1997	549	1	11	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	563
1998	553	3	14	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	573
1999	543	1	14	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	561
2000	565	2	16	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	587
2001	553	0	20	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	579
2002	549	1	14	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	572
2003	549	1	14	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	572
2004	540	1	28	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	575
2005	522	0	31	8	0	n/a	n/a	15	576
2006	516	0	24	5	0	n/a	n/a	19	564
2007	480	0	23	8	0	n/a	n/a	31	542
2008	493	4	29	10	0	n/a	n/a	34	570
2009	469	0	33	11	1	n/a	n/a	38	552
2010	469	0	32	13	1	n/a	n/a	35	550
2011	475	1	29	16	0	0	12	0	533
2012	479	0	28	18	0	0	16	0	541
2013	444	1	24	16	0	0	17	0	502
2014	449	1	21	15	0	0	17	0	503
2015	433	3	20	23	0	0	28	0	507
2016	432	4	20	23	0	0	34	0	513
2017	410	2	20	14	0	0	33	0	479
2018	395	1	16	15	0	0	32	0	459
2019	379	3	18	16	0	0	36	0	452
2020	349	1	24	16	0	0	45	0	435
2021	359	2	24	16	0	0	44	0	445
2022	353	3	20	19	0	0	38	0	433
2023	364	2	17	15	0	0	44	0	442

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	524	31.8	16.4	n/a
1990	547	33.8	16.1	n/a
1991	563	34.8	16.1	n/a
1992	598	35.2	16.9	n/a
1993	630	34.4	18.3	n/a
1994	644	33.9	19.0	n/a
1995	576	32.4	17.8	n/a
1996	576	32.4	17.8	n/a
1997	563	32.3	17.4	n/a
1998	573	35.5	16.1	n/a
1999	561	35.0	16.0	n/a
2000	587	34.5	17.0	n/a
2001	579	36.0	16.1	n/a
2002	572	38.3	14.9	0
2003	572	38.3	14.9	0
2004	575	40.5	14.2	0
2005	576	38.5	15.0	0
2006	564	41.0	13.8	0
2007	542	41.0	13.2	0
2008	570	35.0	16.3	0
2009	552	44.7	12.3	0
2010	550	43.2	12.7	0
2011	533	38.9	13.7	0
2012	541	35.9	15.0	1.3
2013	502	34.6	14.5	1.4
2014	503	37.0	13.5	1.2
2015	507	37.0	13.7	2.4
2016	513	33.0	15.5	2.7
2017	479	34.7	13.7	1.5
2018	459	34.7	13.1	1.5
2019	452	35.0	12.9	2
2020	435	33.2	13.0	0.7
2021	445	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	433	35.2	12.2	1.2
2023	442	33.5	13.1	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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	524	31.8	16.4	n/a
1990	547	33.8	16.1	n/a
1991	563	34.8	16.1	n/a
1992	598	35.2	16.9	n/a
1993	630	34.4	18.3	n/a
1994	644	33.9	19.0	n/a
1995	576	32.4	17.8	n/a
1996	576	32.4	17.8	n/a
1997	563	32.3	17.4	n/a
1998	573	35.5	16.1	n/a
1999	561	35.0	16.0	n/a
2000	587	34.5	17.0	n/a
2001	579	36.0	16.1	n/a
2002	572	38.3	14.9	0
2003	572	38.3	14.9	0
2004	575	40.5	14.2	0
2005	576	38.5	15.0	0
2006	564	41.0	13.8	0
2007	542	41.0	13.2	0
2008	570	35.0	16.3	0
2009	552	44.7	12.3	0
2010	550	43.2	12.7	0
2011	533	38.9	13.7	0
2012	541	35.9	15.0	1.3
2013	502	34.6	14.5	1.4
2014	503	37.0	13.5	1.2
2015	507	37.0	13.7	2.4
2016	513	33.0	15.5	2.7
2017	479	34.7	13.7	1.5
2018	459	34.7	13.1	1.5
2019	452	35.0	12.9	2
2020	435	33.2	13.0	0.7
2021	445	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	433	35.2	12.2	1.2
2023	442	33.5	13.1	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.

Immunization Rates