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Carl Sandburg Elementary

Public Grades K-5

1959^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,056 Illinois Elementary Schools

Better than 5% of Illinois elementary schools

Summary

Carl Sandburg Elementary is a public elementary school in Joliet, Illinois, serving 367 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Joliet Public School District 86, which is ranked 755 out of 811 school districts in the state.

Unfortunately, Carl Sandburg Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 10% of Illinois elementary schools, with significantly below-average performance on state assessments. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 16.9% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 53.1% statewide and 29.9% in the Joliet district. The school's math performance is even lower, with just 10% of students proficient or better, compared to 38.5% statewide and 17% in the district. Additionally, the school has high rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 25.4% to 28.2% over the past few years.

While the challenges faced by Carl Sandburg Elementary are not unique within the Joliet Public School District 86, as many nearby schools also struggle academically, there are some higher-performing schools outside the district, such as Troy Craughwell School and Richland Elementary School, which demonstrate that better outcomes are possible in the area. The school and district will need to implement comprehensive strategies to address the root causes of the low academic performance and high chronic absenteeism at Carl Sandburg Elementary.

371

Students ?

18.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,492

Per pupil spending ?

95.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1100 Lilac Ln
Joliet, IL 60435-3244

(815) 725-0281

District: Joliet PSD 86

Students who attend Carl Sandburg Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Hufford Junior High School
High:	Joliet West High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

44.5%

African American:

42.3%

White:

7.0%

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Compare Carl Sandburg Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 18th percentile in 2015 → 5th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Illinois average (12% vs 44% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (5th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 13 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school12%

District avg22%

Illinois avg44%

1,959^th of 2,056

Illinois public elementary schools ?

Bottom 5%▼ down 14 pts since 2015

From bottom 18% (2015) to bottom 5% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

14^th of 15Elementary Schools in the Joliet PSD 86

755^th of 811Joliet PSD 86 among Illinois districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	9.3	1959 of 2056	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	13.2	1937 of 2067	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	13.5	1925 of 2077	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	14.7	1874 of 2082	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.6	1774 of 1948	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	13.0	1933 of 2086	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	21.6	1610 of 2037	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	23.3	1596 of 2044	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	17.6	1764 of 2046	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	21.3	1676 of 2052	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	26.4	1617 of 2093	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	31.0	1570 of 2167	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	35.1	1589 of 2166	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	20.6	1823 of 2147	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	34.6	1581 of 2139	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	29.2	1660 of 2120	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	42.8	1402 of 2092	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2007	54.9	1194 of 2095	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2006	49.4	1322 of 2086	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2005	30.6	1579 of 2022	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	22.8	1678 of 2030	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	28.8	1560 of 2020	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	22.8	600 of 688	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.2	601 of 655	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	23.1	624 of 692	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	24.0	628 of 684	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	36.7	251 of 428	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.7	632 of 711	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	40.4	368 of 698	47.3%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2023	25.3	733 of 907	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2024	57.2	227 of 826	72.5%	★★★★☆
2023	28.1	673 of 788	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	11.5	1806 of 1942	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.2	1909 of 1942	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	17.4	1691 of 1957	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	12.3	1885 of 1970	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	11.4	1632 of 1680	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	15.3	1813 of 2019	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.3	1505 of 1964	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	20.3	846 of 982	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.3	689 of 959	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.6	865 of 970	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	29.2	703 of 954	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	34.0	652 of 955	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	34.7	609 of 938	35.1%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	15.1	1677 of 1800	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	19.9	1595 of 1793	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.9	1607 of 1808	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.2	1472 of 1763	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	20.8	1365 of 1514	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	21.8	1606 of 1816	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	35.5	1178 of 1765	33.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	9.2	1870 of 1947	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	16.8	1688 of 1959	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	12.2	1886 of 1984	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	18.8	1646 of 1977	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.6	1444 of 1707	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	12.8	1892 of 2019	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	18.2	1699 of 1972	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	12.3	1254 of 1292	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	23.2	971 of 1156	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2024)73rd percentile+66 vs school

Disabled (2023)19th percentile+12 vs school

Hispanic (2025)14th percentile+9 vs school

African American (2025)13th percentile+8 vs school

Female (2025)7th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)7th percentile~ school

Male (2025)4th percentile~ school

Special Education (2025)3rd percentile~ school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts17%-36 vs state

Mathematics10%-28 vs state

Science10%-31 vs state

★

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Schools Near Carl Sandburg Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ISA Science (2025)		IAR English Language Arts (2025)							IAR Mathematics (2025)							% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% DTP (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISA Science 5th Grade	ISA Science 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 3rd Grade	IAR English Language Arts 4th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 5th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 6th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts All Grades	IAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	IAR Mathematics 4th Grade	IAR Mathematics 5th Grade	IAR Mathematics 6th Grade	IAR Mathematics 7th Grade	IAR Mathematics 8th Grade	IAR Mathematics All Grades	% Polio All Grades	% Measles All Grades	% Mumps All Grades	% Rubella All Grades	% Hepatitis B All Grades	% Varicella All Grades	% DTP All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Carl Sandburg Elementary	Public	K-5	1100 Lilac Ln	Joliet	60435	Will County	Joliet PSD 86	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 725-0281	371	20	18.7	95.1%	26 (7.0%)	157 (42.3%)	165 (44.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.9%)	9.3	1959^th of 2056 public elementary schools	4.7%		13.2	1937^th of 2067 public elementary schools	6.3%	22	10.0		15.3	7.8	28.0				16.9	10.2	11.8	8.0				10.0	96.5	97.9	97.9	97.9	98.6	97.5	96.5	$17,492	$1,746	$15,746
Taft Elementary School	Public	K-5	1125 Oregon St	Joliet	60435	Will County	Joliet PSD 86	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 725-2700	424	21	19.9	94.6%	59 (13.9%)	57 (13.4%)	279 (65.8%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.9%)	28.9	1463^rd of 2056 public elementary schools	28.8%		25.5	1526^th of 2067 public elementary schools	26.2%	63	32.3		22.2	36.5	45.3				34.3	31.9	25.7	18.8				25.7	97.5	98.5	98.5	98.5	98.1	98.1	97.5	$18,079	$1,536	$16,543
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	Public	K-5	2651 Glenwood Ave	Joliet	60435	Will County	Joliet PSD 86	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 725-0262	235	28	8.4	94.0%	38 (16.2%)	48 (20.4%)	131 (55.7%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.8%)	32.7	1365^th of 2056 public elementary schools	33.6%		34.3	1281^st of 2067 public elementary schools	38.0%	84	25.6		34.8	36.1	35.9				35.5	60.9	19.4	17.9				34.7	98.5	99.1	99.1	99.1	99.1	98.9	98.9	$16,857	$1,404	$15,454
Pershing Elementary School	Public	K-5	251 N Midland Ave	Joliet	60435	Will County	Joliet PSD 86	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 725-0986	621	33	19.0	96.1%	60 (9.7%)	107 (17.2%)	432 (69.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.4%)	14.5	1806^th of 2056 public elementary schools	12.2%		17.8	1742^nd of 2067 public elementary schools	15.7%	64	15.4		26.8	24.8	30.8				27.2	22.7	8.5	6.6				12.5	98.6	98.6	98.6	98.6	98.6	98.6	98.6	$18,428	$1,916	$16,512
Troy Craughwell School	Public	PK, KG-4	3333 Black Rd	Joliet	60431	Will County	Troy CCSD 30C	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 577-6760	526	38	13.7	54.4%	169 (32.1%)	77 (14.6%)	240 (45.6%)	15 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.6%)	58.5	845^th of 2056 public elementary schools	58.9%		68.4	582^nd of 2067 public elementary schools	71.8%	263			45.7	48.9					47.3	65.4	41.4					53.0								$17,054	$277	$16,777
Richland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	1919 Caton Farm Rd	Crest Hill	60403	Will County	Richland GSD 88A	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 744-6166	774	63	12.3	59.2%	197 (25.5%)	174 (22.5%)	345 (44.6%)	18 (2.3%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.4%)	35 (4.5%)	56.5	875^th of 2056 public elementary schools	57.4%		56.3	791^st of 2067 public elementary schools	61.7%	84	54.0	58.9	45.7	49.4	73.0	56.7	52.4	76.7	58.4	33.0	38.0	46.0	21.1	34.5	38.9	34.6								$18,335	$852	$17,483
Lynne Thigpen Elementary School	Public	K-5	207 S Midland Ave	Joliet	60436	Will County	Joliet PSD 86	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 741-7629	620	40	15.3	93.9%	45 (7.3%)	139 (22.4%)	397 (64.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (6.0%)	14.8	1790^th of 2056 public elementary schools	12.9%		17.2	1763^rd of 2067 public elementary schools	14.7%	27	18.8		15.1	17.8	36.5				23.1	17.0	19.8	9.3				15.4	96.4	97.4	97.4	97.4	98.4	97.4	96.6	$19,291	$2,041	$17,250
Farragut Elementary School	Public	K-5	701 Glenwood Ave	Joliet	60435	Will County	Joliet PSD 86	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 723-0394	568	34	16.8	94.2%	25 (4.4%)	178 (31.3%)	340 (59.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.4%)	11.2	1901^st of 2056 public elementary schools	7.5%		17.5	1752^nd of 2067 public elementary schools	15.2%	149	17.9		15.5	16.7	26.9				19.3	12.4	14.3	6.4				11.2	95.7	95.3	95.3	95.3	96.4	95.3	95.3	$18,063	$1,817	$16,245
M J Cunningham Elementary School	Public	K-5	500 Moran St	Joliet	60435	Will County	Joliet PSD 86	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 723-0169	484	33	14.5	94.0%	25 (5.2%)	29 (6.0%)	410 (84.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.9%)	15.7	1771^st of 2056 public elementary schools	13.9%		19.4	1699^th of 2067 public elementary schools	17.8%	72	16.0		19.4	19.7	27.4				22.3	24.7	21.1	15.5				20.1	97.1	97.1	97.1	97.1	97.1	97.1	97.1	$17,539	$1,554	$15,985
Crystal Lawns Elementary School	Public	K-5	2544 Crystal Dr	Joliet	60435	Will County	Plainfield School District 202	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 436-9519	328	27	12.0	47.6%	129 (39.3%)	21 (6.4%)	152 (46.3%)	10 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.9%)	60.4	799^th of 2056 public elementary schools	61.1%		42.9	1091^st of 2067 public elementary schools	47.2%	292	44.4		54.1	55.6	55.6				55.0	47.5	50.9	35.6				45.3	98.4	98.4	98.4	98.4		98.4	98.4	$19,348	$727	$18,621

Frequently Asked Questions about Carl Sandburg Elementary

Is Carl Sandburg Elementary a good school?

Carl Sandburg Elementary ranks in the bottom 4.7% of Illinois elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Carl Sandburg Elementary?

Students at Carl Sandburg Elementary are 44% Hispanic, 42% African American, 7% White, 6% Two or more races.

What district is Carl Sandburg Elementary in?

Joliet PSD 86

What schools do graduates of Carl Sandburg Elementary attend?

Students who attend Carl Sandburg Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Hufford Junior High School
High : Joliet West High School

How many students attend Carl Sandburg Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 371 students attended Carl Sandburg Elementary.

Rate Carl Sandburg Elementary!

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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.