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Central Elementary School

Public Grades K-4

50^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,056 Illinois Elementary Schools

Better than 98% of Illinois elementary schools

Summary

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Wilmette, Illinois, serving grades K-4 with a total enrollment of 456 students. The school is part of the Wilmette School District 39, which is ranked 23 out of 811 school districts in Illinois and is rated 5 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Central Elementary School consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Illinois, with a statewide ranking between 22nd and 138th out of over 2,000 schools over the past 10 years. The school's students perform exceptionally well on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) exams, with 83% of all students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 84.6% proficient or better in Mathematics in the 2024-2025 school year. Central Elementary School outperforms the Wilmette School District 39 and the state of Illinois in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. Additionally, the school's female students, male students, white students, special education students, and disabled students all rank among the top in the state, indicating that the school provides a high-quality education and support for students across diverse backgrounds and needs.

While Central Elementary School has a very low chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 5.3% to 5.7% in recent years, the nearby Harper Elementary School and McKenzie Elementary School have significantly higher rates, suggesting that Central Elementary School may have more effective attendance policies or support systems in place. When compared to schools in the neighboring Winnetka School District 36 and Evanston CCSD 65, Central Elementary School generally performs at a higher level in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency, though the Joseph Sears School in Kenilworth, which is part of the Kenilworth School District 38, is another high-performing school that rivals Central Elementary School's academic achievements.

485

Students ?

12.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,987

Per pupil spending ?

1.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

910 Central Ave
Wilmette, IL 60091-2608

(847) 512-6100

District: Wilmette School District 39

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

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

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.2%

Two or more races:

10.1%

Hispanic:

4.9%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Central Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 97th percentile in 2015 → 98th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Illinois average (84% vs 46% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 2% of Illinois elementary schools

Worth a look

!Near the bottom of Wilmette School District 39's ranking

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school84%

District avg82%

Illinois avg46%

50^th of 2,056

Illinois public elementary schools ?

Top 2%▬ steady since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 4Elementary Schools in the Wilmette School District 39

23^rd of 811Wilmette School District 39 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	95.6	50 of 2056	97.6%	★★★★★
2024	96.5	62 of 2067	97.0%	★★★★★
2023	97.5	32 of 2077	98.5%	★★★★★
2022	98.3	22 of 2082	98.9%	★★★★★
2021	96.1	68 of 1948	96.5%	★★★★★
2019	95.0	64 of 2086	96.9%	★★★★★
2018	97.1	36 of 2037	98.2%	★★★★★
2017	91.4	138 of 2044	93.2%	★★★★★
2016	97.8	23 of 2046	98.9%	★★★★★
2015	97.1	54 of 2052	97.4%	★★★★★
2014	93.2	46 of 2093	97.8%	★★★★★
2013	92.2	80 of 2167	96.3%	★★★★★
2012	86.4	79 of 2166	96.4%	★★★★★
2011	87.5	55 of 2147	97.4%	★★★★★
2010	85.7	118 of 2139	94.5%	★★★★★
2009	87.2	73 of 2120	96.6%	★★★★★
2008	88.9	24 of 2092	98.9%	★★★★★
2007	84.9	100 of 2095	95.2%	★★★★★
2006	84.6	121 of 2086	94.2%	★★★★★
2005	86.9	73 of 2022	96.4%	★★★★★
2004	90.2	21 of 2030	99.0%	★★★★★
2003	87.0	122 of 2020	94.0%	★★★★★

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	97.5	20 of 1049	98.1%	★★★★★
2024	88.7	45 of 886	94.9%	★★★★★
2023	98.5	7 of 907	99.2%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	94.8	45 of 1942	97.7%	★★★★★
2024	97.0	39 of 1942	98.0%	★★★★★
2023	97.8	23 of 1957	98.8%	★★★★★
2022	98.4	12 of 1970	99.4%	★★★★★
2021	94.0	65 of 1680	96.1%	★★★★★
2019	94.7	50 of 2019	97.5%	★★★★★
2018	97.8	10 of 1964	99.5%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	94.9	57 of 1947	97.1%	★★★★★
2024	94.6	85 of 1959	95.7%	★★★★★
2023	94.6	69 of 1984	96.5%	★★★★★
2022	96.2	41 of 1977	97.9%	★★★★★
2021	95.9	50 of 1707	97.1%	★★★★★
2019	93.6	82 of 2019	95.9%	★★★★★
2018	94.3	77 of 1972	96.1%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	98.5	12 of 1292	99.1%	★★★★★
2024	96.8	29 of 1195	97.6%	★★★★★
2023	97.3	15 of 1156	98.7%	★★★★★
2022	85.6	75 of 1113	93.3%	★★★★★
2021	96.1	12 of 640	98.1%	★★★★★
2019	62.9	302 of 1194	74.7%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	89.9	64 of 1389	95.4%	★★★★★
2024	89.9	88 of 1392	93.7%	★★★★★
2023	92.1	52 of 1419	96.3%	★★★★★
2022	95.1	22 of 1425	98.5%	★★★★★
2021	88.4	93 of 1308	92.9%	★★★★★
2019	87.4	104 of 1462	92.9%	★★★★★
2018	92.5	45 of 1463	96.9%	★★★★★

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)

Special Education (2025)99th percentile~ school

Disabled (2025)98th percentile~ school

Female (2025)98th percentile~ school

Male (2025)97th percentile~ school

White (2025)95th percentile~ school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics85%+46 vs state

English Language Arts83%+30 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

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

Schools Near Central Elementary School

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)	% Pneumococcal (2024)	% Meningococcal (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	% Pneumococcal All Grades	% Meningococcal All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central Elementary School	Public	K-4	910 Central Ave	Wilmette	60091	Cook County	Wilmette School District 39	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 512-6100	485	39	12.4		394 (81.2%)	2 (0.4%)	24 (4.9%)	16 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (10.1%)	95.6	50^th of 2056 public elementary schools	97.6%		96.5	62^nd of 2067 public elementary schools	97.0%	12			79.8	85.6					83.0	85.7	83.7					84.6	99.8	99.6	99.6	99.6	98.2	99.3	99.8			$21,987	$265	$21,722
McKenzie Elementary School	Public	K-4	649 Prairie Ave	Wilmette	60091	Cook County	Wilmette School District 39	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 512-6300	461	34	13.5		378 (82.0%)	4 (0.9%)	20 (4.3%)	16 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (9.3%)	97.9	14^th of 2056 public elementary schools	99.3%		96.5	61^st of 2067 public elementary schools	97.0%	47			87.9	95.8					91.9	92.1	88.4					90.2	98.9	98.9	98.9	98.9	98.9	98.9	98.9			$21,558	$261	$21,297
Willard Elementary School	Public	K-5	2700 Hurd Ave	Evanston	60201	Cook County	Evanston CCSD 65	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 905-3601	355	32	11.2	22.5%	209 (58.9%)	41 (11.5%)	71 (20.0%)	9 (2.5%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.9%)	80.1	390^th of 2056 public elementary schools	81.0%		79	389^th of 2067 public elementary schools	81.2%	1	56.9		63.8	55.6	68.1				63.1	78.3	63.0	54.2				65.1	99.7	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	99.5	99.7			$22,866	$501	$22,365
Kingsley Elementary School	Public	K-5	2300 Green Bay Rd	Evanston	60201	Cook County	Evanston CCSD 65	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 859-8401	334	27	12.5	30.8%	182 (54.5%)	90 (26.9%)	20 (6.0%)	11 (3.3%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.4%)	75.2	495^th of 2056 public elementary schools	75.9%		83.7	292^nd of 2067 public elementary schools	85.9%	203	51.1		66.2	64.6	61.2				64.2	60.3	58.3	47.9				56.1	96.9	97.8	97.8	97.8	100.0	98.1	97.2			$22,902	$350	$22,552
The Joseph Sears School	Public	PK, KG-8	542 Abbotsford Rd	Kenilworth	60043	Cook County	Kenilworth School District 38	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(847) 853-3803	471	53	8.8		400 (84.9%)	2 (0.4%)	15 (3.2%)	26 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.9%)	97	26^th of 2056 public elementary schools	98.7%		96.6	57^th of 2067 public elementary schools	97.2%	31	88.0	82.9	78.4	83.6	90.0	90.0	95.5	90.2	87.6	92.2	94.5	76.0	82.0	88.6	75.6	85.2	99.6	99.6	99.6	99.6	100.0	100.0	99.6	4.6	27.5	$30,709	$782	$29,927
Lincolnwood Elementary School	Public	K-5	2600 Colfax St	Evanston	60201	Cook County	Evanston CCSD 65	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 859-8881	288	27	10.5	34.7%	155 (53.8%)	90 (31.3%)	19 (6.6%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (7.6%)	81.4	366^th of 2056 public elementary schools	82.2%		87.7	226^th of 2067 public elementary schools	89.1%	140	60.4		57.9	63.0	64.6				61.6	75.4	67.4	58.3				67.5	95.8	96.1	96.1	96.1	100.0	95.8	95.5			$26,663	$545	$26,118
Orrington Elementary School	Public	K-5	2636 Orrington Ave	Evanston	60201	Cook County	Evanston CCSD 65	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 859-8781	225	23	9.8	20.4%	119 (52.9%)	34 (15.1%)	9 (4.0%)	34 (15.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (12.4%)	91	158^th of 2056 public elementary schools	92.3%		82.3	314^th of 2067 public elementary schools	84.8%	156	71.4		80.0	68.8	75.5				75.2	92.5	68.8	65.3				75.2	98.8	98.0	98.0	98.0	99.6	98.0	97.6			$27,761	$350	$27,412
Greeley Elementary School	Public	K-4	275 Fairview Ave	Winnetka	60093	Cook County	Winnetka School District 36	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 446-6060	355	28	12.8		305 (85.9%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (7.3%)	20 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	96.6	32^nd of 2056 public elementary schools	98.4%		97	47^th of 2067 public elementary schools	97.7%	15			94.5	81.7					87.8	92.7	81.7					87.0	98.5	98.2	98.2	98.2		97.9	98.5			$23,552	$293	$23,260
Harper Elementary School	Public	K-4	1101 Dartmouth St	Wilmette	60091	Cook County	Wilmette School District 39	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 512-6200	366	30	12.2		303 (82.8%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (6.3%)	15 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.8%)	93.3	109^th of 2056 public elementary schools	94.7%		95.4	99^th of 2067 public elementary schools	95.2%	10			73.4	82.8					79.1	84.4	76.0					79.3	99.7	99.5	99.5	99.5	98.3	99.2	99.7			$23,722	$327	$23,395
Highland Elementary School	Public	K-5	9700 Crawford Ave	Skokie	60076	Cook County	Skokie School District 68	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(847) 676-5001	316	29	10.8	47.5%	94 (29.7%)	46 (14.6%)	44 (13.9%)	93 (29.4%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (11.7%)	79.6	406^th of 2056 public elementary schools	80.3%		62.3	692^nd of 2067 public elementary schools	66.5%	286	59.2		57.4	61.5	83.7				67.1	55.6	60.4	61.2				59.0	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2			$23,900	$1,329	$22,572

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Elementary School

Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Yes! Central Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 50^th of 2056 Illinois elementary schools.

What district is Central Elementary School in?

Wilmette School District 39

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary School?

Students at Central Elementary School are 81% White, 10% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 3% Asian.

How many students attend Central Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 485 students attended Central Elementary School.

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

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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.