Best Public Schools in Normal, IL

Summary:

The city of Normal, Illinois is home to 16 schools, including 9 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 4 high schools, all part of the McLean County Unified School District 5, except for two schools that are part of the ISU Laboratory Schools district.

The standout schools in Normal are University High School, which ranks 10th out of 699 Illinois high schools and has exceptional academic performance, and Thomas Metcalf School, a K-8 school that ranks 201st out of 2,077 Illinois elementary schools. These two ISU Laboratory Schools consistently outperform the schools in the McLean County Unified School District 5. Additionally, Grove Elementary School stands out for its strong academic performance, with proficiency rates well above the district and state averages.

However, the data also reveals stark differences in academic performance and other key metrics between the top-performing schools and the lower-performing schools, such as Oakdale Elementary School and Fairview Elementary School. This suggests significant disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes within the district, which may be correlated with socioeconomic status, as schools with higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch tend to have lower academic proficiency rates.

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School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				ISA Science (2023)			IAR English Language Arts (2023)						IAR Mathematics (2023)						SAT Mathematics (2023)	SAT English Language Arts (2023)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% DTP (2024)	% Pneumococcal (2024)	% Meningococcal (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISA Science 5th Grade	ISA Science 8th Grade	ISA Science End of Course	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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	IAR Mathematics 4th Grade	IAR Mathematics 5th Grade	IAR Mathematics 6th Grade	IAR Mathematics 7th Grade	IAR Mathematics 8th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	% 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
Thomas Metcalf School	Public	PK, KG-8	ISU Campus Box 7000	Normal	61790	McLean County	ISU Laboratory Schools	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 438-7621	425	44	9.6	6.4%	314 (73.9%)	12 (2.8%)	37 (8.7%)	32 (7.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.8%)	88.9	201^st of 2077 public elementary schools	90.3%		91.1	152^nd of 2082 public elementary schools	92.7%	49				37.0	64.6	80.0	62.0	76.0	81.3	56.5	52.1	48.0	40.0	78.0	72.9			98.0	98.2	98.2	98.2	98.2	98.0	98.2	11.1	29.1
University High School	Public	9-12	Isu Campus Box 5300	Normal	61790	McLean County	ISU Laboratory Schools	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 438-8994	620	43	14.2		442 (71.3%)	30 (4.8%)	47 (7.6%)	60 (9.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.5%)	97.8	10^th of 699 public high schools	98.6%		99.1	4^th of 699 public high schools	99.4%	6																63.4	54.5	99.4	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5		99.7
Central Illinois Bridge Academy	Public	7-12	2000 Jacobssen Dr	Normal	61761	McLean County	DeWitt/Livingstn/Logan/McLean ROE	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 888-5120	0	3	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Normal Community West High School	Public	9-12	501 N Parkside Rd	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4402	1,628	104	15.6		1,111 (68.2%)	244 (15.0%)	152 (9.3%)	30 (1.8%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	89 (5.5%)	67.9	180^th of 699 public high schools	74.2%		67.2	195^th of 699 public high schools	72.1%	15			60.7													23.8	33.2	98.9	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.5	99.0	99.2		97.5	$12,625	$845	$11,780
Chiddix Junior High School	Public	6-8	300 S Walnut St	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4405	594	47	12.6	30.3%	349 (58.8%)	90 (15.2%)	26 (4.4%)	84 (14.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.6%)	62.7	413^th of 1367 public middle schools	69.8%		59.6	446^th of 1369 public middle schools	67.4%	33		56.6					45.5	37.4	49.1				29.1	20.7	26.5			94.6	94.4	94.4	94.4	94.6	94.6	94.6		94.1	$12,488	$765	$11,723
Colene Hoose Elementary School	Public	K-5	600 Grandview Dr	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4414	430	33	13.0	35.6%	236 (54.9%)	52 (12.1%)	41 (9.5%)	62 (14.4%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.4%)	55.3	838^th of 2077 public elementary schools	59.7%		57.3	790^th of 2082 public elementary schools	62.1%	48	58.0			38.0	29.8	36.2				33.8	29.8	15.9						97.3	97.3	97.3	97.3		97.1	97.3			$13,845	$1,467	$12,378
Fairview Elementary School	Public	K-5	416 Fairview St	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4415	319	21	14.9	61.8%	128 (40.1%)	111 (34.8%)	36 (11.3%)	7 (2.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (11.3%)	35.4	1277^th of 2077 public elementary schools	38.5%		41.1	1151^st of 2082 public elementary schools	44.7%	126	41.4			16.7	27.6	20.0				22.9	27.6	10.0						98.8	98.4	98.4	98.4	99.6	98.4	98.4			$12,430	$2,275	$10,156
Glenn Elementary School	Public	K-5	306 Glenn Ave	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4418	238	18	13.6	47.9%	96 (40.3%)	39 (16.4%)	31 (13.0%)	47 (19.7%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (9.2%)	58.7	768^th of 2077 public elementary schools	63.0%		54	861^st of 2082 public elementary schools	58.6%	93	69.4			24.3	38.5	41.7				21.6	19.2	44.4						96.5	96.5	96.5	96.5		96.9	96.5			$12,374	$1,171	$11,203
Sugar Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	200 N Towanda Ave	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4425	414	31	13.5	57.2%	186 (44.9%)	117 (28.3%)	40 (9.7%)	24 (5.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (11.1%)	38.1	1207^th of 2077 public elementary schools	41.9%		34	1297^th of 2082 public elementary schools	37.7%	90	48.7			33.4	6.7	14.6				30.6	23.3	12.2						94.7	96.0	96.0	96.0	97.5	95.7	94.4	45.1		$18,032	$2,150	$15,881
Prairieland Elementary School	Public	K-5	1300 E Raab Rd	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4424	433	32	13.5	20.3%	347 (80.1%)	24 (5.5%)	25 (5.8%)	17 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.6%)	79.5	380^th of 2077 public elementary schools	81.7%		83.5	311^th of 2082 public elementary schools	85.1%	69	78.6			35.9	41.1	52.9				43.6	46.6	51.4						100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0			$12,247	$1,631	$10,616
Grove Elementary School	Public	K-5	1101 Airport Rd	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4417	513	29	17.9	11.9%	329 (64.1%)	30 (5.8%)	21 (4.1%)	105 (20.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.1%)	86.6	248^th of 2077 public elementary schools	88.1%		91.4	150^th of 2082 public elementary schools	92.8%	98	79.1			56.2	55.9	54.0				51.0	42.2	47.1						98.4	98.2	98.2	98.2	100.0	98.0	98.4			$10,913	$1,014	$9,899
Kingsley Junior High School	Public	6-8	303 Kingsley St	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4407	753	53	14.2	38.2%	485 (64.4%)	128 (17.0%)	51 (6.8%)	38 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (6.8%)	45.8	668^th of 1367 public middle schools	51.1%		48.5	619^th of 1369 public middle schools	54.8%	49		64.8					21.6	26.1	29.6				16.8	26.5	17.3			98.9	99.1	99.1	99.1	99.1	98.8	98.9		95.6	$12,213	$783	$11,430
YBMC Charter School	Public, Charter	11-12	360 Wylie Dr Ste 305	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 454-3898	28	3	9.3		14 (50.0%)	7 (25.0%)	3 (10.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.6%)	1 (3.6%)	2 (7.1%)	7.7	687^th of 699 public high schools	1.7%		9.1	655^th of 699 public high schools	6.3%	32			5.3													0.0	0.0										$10,794	$00	$10,794
Eugene Field School	Public	12	412 E Cypress St	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4440	4	7	.5		2 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (25.0%)								(n/a)																		97.7	97.7	97.7	97.7	100.0	95.5	100.0		97.7	$43,061	$7,700	$35,361
McClean County Detention Center	Public	6-12	903 N Main St	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 888-5550	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Oakdale Elementary School	Public	K-5	601 S Adelaide St	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4421	376	27	14.0	68.9%	154 (41.0%)	154 (41.0%)	34 (9.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (8.8%)	23.1	1575^th of 2077 public elementary schools	24.2%		21.2	1628^th of 2082 public elementary schools	21.8%	53	31.4			16.9	17.3	22.0				9.2	5.8	10.0						96.8	97.1	97.1	97.1	97.1	96.3	97.1			$12,907	$2,337	$10,570
Parkside Junior High School	Public	6-8	101 N Parkside Rd	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4408	641	49	12.9	43.1%	404 (63.0%)	103 (16.1%)	83 (12.9%)	12 (1.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.8%)	52.8	555^th of 1367 public middle schools	59.4%		57.9	478^th of 1369 public middle schools	65.1%	77		60.9					28.0	36.0	47.6				17.3	21.7	18.8			98.8	98.6	98.6	98.6	98.6	98.8	99.0		97.3	$13,503	$961	$12,542
Parkside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1900 W College Ave	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4422	292	22	13.4	53.8%	173 (59.2%)	46 (15.8%)	46 (15.8%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (7.9%)	36.1	1258^th of 2077 public elementary schools	39.4%		29.9	1402^nd of 2082 public elementary schools	32.7%	144	56.7			19.6	22.2	23.3				21.6	8.9	16.7						96.3	96.3	96.3	96.3	97.3	96.3	96.3			$15,415	$2,942	$12,473
Normal Community High School	Public	9-12	3900 E Raab Rd	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4401	2,131	136	15.7		1,263 (59.3%)	306 (14.4%)	208 (9.8%)	231 (10.8%)	8 (0.4%)	3 (0.1%)	112 (5.3%)	85.1	84^th of 699 public high schools	88.0%		87	71^st of 699 public high schools	89.8%	13			69.0													36.4	43.2	99.2	99.4	99.4	99.4	99.5	99.0	99.3		98.2	$11,565	$738	$10,828

Cities Near Normal

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Bloomington	1.71 mi	19	571^st
Towanda	6.02 mi	1	45^th
Hudson	6.49 mi	1	200^th
Carlock	9.3 mi	1	463^rd
Danvers	9.72 mi	1	219^th

See the top IL Illinois cities

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.