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Lester Elementary School

Public Grades K-6

139^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,737 Illinois Elementary Schools

Better than 92% of Illinois elementary schools

Summary

Lester Elementary School serves 531 students in grades K–6 in Downers Grove, in Downers Grove GSD 58. Its 2025–2026 results are well above Illinois proficiency rates, and SchoolDigger gives it five stars. The key takeaway for families is that strong statewide results do not mean Lester leads nearby schools in every subject: mathematics is its clearest relative weakness among same-district peers.

Lester’s strongest nearby comparison is fifth-grade science: 78% of students were proficient, second among the six same-district schools and just behind Fairmount Elementary School (78.3% versus 78.4%). Lester was 8 points above the district and 31 points above the state. In all-grades ELA, 81% proficiency was third among the six schools and 3 points above the district; in math, 70% was fifth of six, 4 points below the district and 4 points below the peer average. Still, Lester exceeded state rates by 25 points in ELA and 31 in math. These results show that math is a relative weak spot locally, even while it is well above the state.

Both subjects have improved since 2023–2024: ELA rose 17 points to 81%, while math gained 7 points to 70%. Lester’s lead over the state grew by 2 points in ELA but narrowed by 4 points in math. SchoolDigger ranks Lester at the 92nd percentile statewide in 2025–2026, with five stars; same-district schools fall between the 91st and 94th percentiles. One notable group result is the 2024–2025 SchoolDigger ranking for Low Socio Economic Status Students: the 63rd percentile, compared with the school’s overall 93rd percentile that year. Lester’s student-teacher ratio was 17.5 in 2024–2025, the highest among its five same-district peers, and its 2021–2022 measure was 11.1% free/reduced lunch eligible, close to the peer average. These figures offer context, not explanations for test results.

531

Students ?

17.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,934

Per pupil spending ?

11.1%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2021-22) ?

97.4%

Measles protection (all grades) (2025-26)

236 Indianapolis Ave
Downers Grove, IL 60515-3100

(630) 719-5855

District: Downers Grove GSD 58

Students who attend Lester Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Herrick Middle School
High:	Community High School District 99 - North High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

77.6%

Hispanic:

10.9%

Two or more races:

6.0%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Lester Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 65th percentile in 2016 → 92nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Illinois average (77% vs 48% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 8% of Illinois elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 27 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school77%

District avg72%

Illinois avg48%

139^th of 1,737

Illinois public elementary schools ?

Top 8%▲ up 27 pts since 2016

From top 35% (2016) to top 8% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 11Elementary Schools in the Downers Grove GSD 58

96^th of 738Downers Grove GSD 58 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
2026	89.4	139 of 1737	92.0%	★★★★★
2025	91.5	147 of 2056	92.9%	★★★★★
2024	93.3	144 of 2067	93.0%	★★★★★
2023	93.0	128 of 2077	93.8%	★★★★★
2022	94.9	83 of 2082	96.0%	★★★★★
2021	95.6	71 of 1948	96.4%	★★★★★
2019	92.1	122 of 2086	94.2%	★★★★★
2018	89.8	164 of 2037	91.9%	★★★★★
2017	69.5	581 of 2044	71.6%	★★★★☆
2016	60.9	716 of 2046	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2015	75.3	428 of 2052	79.1%	★★★★☆
2014	84.7	271 of 2093	87.1%	★★★★☆
2013	88.4	177 of 2167	91.8%	★★★★★
2012	84.1	184 of 2166	91.5%	★★★★★
2011	83.5	198 of 2147	90.8%	★★★★★
2010	73.7	604 of 2139	71.8%	★★★★☆
2009	80.4	328 of 2120	84.5%	★★★★☆
2008	74.5	563 of 2092	73.1%	★★★★☆
2007	76.3	443 of 2095	78.9%	★★★★☆
2006	79.9	304 of 2086	85.4%	★★★★☆
2005	80.0	304 of 2022	85.0%	★★★★☆
2004	86.0	146 of 2030	92.8%	★★★★★
2003	82.8	256 of 2020	87.3%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	97.4	21 of 1049	98.0%	★★★★★
2024	97.7	17 of 886	98.1%	★★★★★
2023	90.7	36 of 907	96.0%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	80.2	176 of 1286	86.3%	★★★★☆
2025	89.5	163 of 1942	91.6%	★★★★★
2024	92.9	116 of 1942	94.0%	★★★★★
2023	93.2	104 of 1957	94.7%	★★★★★
2022	93.7	97 of 1970	95.1%	★★★★★
2021	94.4	62 of 1680	96.3%	★★★★★
2019	92.8	89 of 2019	95.6%	★★★★★
2018	85.0	235 of 1964	88.0%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	81.8	102 of 982	89.6%	★★★★☆
2024	81.6	94 of 959	90.2%	★★★★★
2023	85.1	72 of 970	92.6%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	58.6	665 of 1800	63.1%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	86.3	133 of 1311	89.9%	★★★★☆
2025	91.0	127 of 1947	93.5%	★★★★★
2024	91.5	144 of 1959	92.6%	★★★★★
2023	89.7	161 of 1984	91.9%	★★★★★
2022	94.2	83 of 1977	95.8%	★★★★★
2021	93.9	78 of 1707	95.4%	★★★★★
2019	90.0	142 of 2019	93.0%	★★★★★
2018	90.1	138 of 1972	93.0%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	81.9	27 of 201	86.6%	★★★★☆
2025	95.3	50 of 1292	96.1%	★★★★★
2024	92.7	57 of 1195	95.2%	★★★★★
2023	91.3	57 of 1156	95.1%	★★★★★
2022	95.5	27 of 1113	97.6%	★★★★★
2021	91.8	28 of 640	95.6%	★★★★★
2019	84.4	96 of 1194	92.0%	★★★★★
2018	89.3	29 of 763	96.2%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	79.6	173 of 1149	84.9%	★★★★☆
2025	83.7	167 of 1389	88.0%	★★★★☆
2024	86.1	132 of 1392	90.5%	★★★★★
2023	86.2	126 of 1419	91.1%	★★★★★
2022	89.7	77 of 1425	94.6%	★★★★★
2021	91.0	64 of 1308	95.1%	★★★★★
2019	84.5	143 of 1462	90.2%	★★★★★
2018	79.6	231 of 1463	84.2%	★★★★☆

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)

Disabled (2025)98th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2026)90th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)90th percentile-3 vs school

Special Education (2026)87th percentile-5 vs school

Female (2026)86th percentile-6 vs school

White (2026)85th percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)63rd percentile-30 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts81%+25 vs state

Science78%+31 vs state

Mathematics70%+31 vs state

5.0

3 ratings · 1 written review

5★3

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, January 28, 2019

Very happy with Lester School. I've had kids enrolled here for 7 years. Great activities, good network of parents. Close Quote

Schools Near Lester Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				ISA Science (2026)	IAR English Language Arts (2026)					IAR Mathematics (2026)					Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2026)
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/reduced lunch (2021-22)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISA Science 5th 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 All Grades	IAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	IAR Mathematics 4th Grade	IAR Mathematics 5th Grade	IAR Mathematics 6th Grade	IAR Mathematics All Grades	Vaccination: Measles protection (all grades)	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lester Elementary School	Public	K-6	236 Indianapolis Ave	Downers Grove	60515	DuPage County	Downers Grove GSD 58	No	(n/a)	No	No	(630) 719-5855	531	30	17.5	11.1%	412 (77.6%)	9 (1.7%)	58 (10.9%)	19 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.0%)	89.4	139^th of 1737 public elementary schools	92.0%		91.5	147^th of 2056 public elementary schools	92.9%	8	78.3	81.3	83.3	75.0	83.3	81.3	82.8	72.2	63.3	64.4	70.4	97.4%		$17,934	$230	$17,705
C E Miller Elementary School	Public	K-1	125 W Traube Ave	Westmont	60559	DuPage County	Cusd 201	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(630) 468-8300	194	17	11.4	—	97 (50.0%)	17 (8.8%)	57 (29.4%)	8 (4.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (7.2%)								(n/a)												96.2%		$34,427	$527	$33,900
Whittier Elementary School	Public	K-6	536 Hill St	Downers Grove	60515	DuPage County	Downers Grove GSD 58	No	(n/a)	No	No	(630) 719-5865	307	18	16.9	11.4%	251 (81.8%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (11.1%)	10 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	89	144^th of 1737 public elementary schools	91.7%		89.6	186^th of 2056 public elementary schools	91.0%	42	75.6	82.1	86.7	80.0	78.9	82.0	74.4	73.3	68.9	60.5	69.5	98.3%		$20,043	$123	$19,920
J T Manning Elementary School	Public	2-5	200 N Linden Ave	Westmont	60559	DuPage County	Cusd 201	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(630) 468-8050	386	25	15.4	—	214 (55.4%)	27 (7.0%)	93 (24.1%)	24 (6.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.0%)	82.5	250^th of 1737 public elementary schools	85.6%		89.2	195^th of 2056 public elementary schools	90.5%	55	68.1	71.7	64.9	86.8		74.2	79.2	56.4	74.7		70.4	98.4%		$26,806	$468	$26,339
Highland Elementary School	Public	K-6	3935 Highland Ave	Downers Grove	60515	DuPage County	Downers Grove GSD 58	No	(n/a)	No	No	(630) 719-5835	352	22	16.1	11.7%	275 (78.1%)	6 (1.7%)	36 (10.2%)	19 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.5%)	89.4	141^st of 1737 public elementary schools	91.9%		91.9	134^th of 2056 public elementary schools	93.5%	7	68.5	73.8	78.2	77.8	87.5	79.7	83.3	74.5	70.4	69.6	73.9	97.6%		$18,763	$297	$18,466
Pierce Downer Elementary School	Public	K-6	1436 Grant St	Downers Grove	60515	DuPage County	Downers Grove GSD 58	No	(n/a)	No	No	(630) 719-5860	337	21	16.4	5.4%	295 (87.5%)	1 (0.3%)	14 (4.2%)	8 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.6%)	88.1	157^th of 1737 public elementary schools	91.0%		89.1	202^nd of 2056 public elementary schools	90.2%	45	67.9	80.0	78.7	62.3	84.1	75.5	87.5	78.7	71.7	81.8	79.3	98.9%		$17,841	$407	$17,434
Belle Aire Elementary School	Public	K-6	3935 Belle Aire Ln	Downers Grove	60515	DuPage County	Downers Grove GSD 58	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(630) 719-5820	276	18	15.2	16.5%	182 (65.9%)	20 (7.2%)	26 (9.4%)	27 (9.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.2%)	91.3	102^nd of 1737 public elementary schools	94.1%		94.6	79^th of 2056 public elementary schools	96.2%	23	73.0	68.4	79.3	91.7	90.3	82.1	81.6	76.7	69.4	83.9	77.8	95.2%		$18,640	$230	$18,410
Maercker Elementary School	Public	3-5	5827 S Cass Ave	Westmont	60559	DuPage County	Maercker School District 60	No	(n/a)	No	No	(630) 515-4820	456	34	13.5	—	209 (45.8%)	45 (9.9%)	87 (19.1%)	97 (21.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.7%)	54	771^st of 1737 public elementary schools	55.6%		68.6	630^th of 2056 public elementary schools	69.4%	141	54.4	45.2	58.7	65.0		56.1	53.5	48.4	51.0		51.1	96%		$15,864	$617	$15,247
Fairmount Elementary School	Public	K-6	6036 Blodgett Ave	Downers Grove	60516	DuPage County	Downers Grove GSD 58	No	(n/a)	No	No	(630) 719-5830	342	20	17.4	11.3%	272 (79.5%)	8 (2.3%)	31 (9.1%)	13 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.3%)	89.4	138^th of 1737 public elementary schools	92.1%		94.7	74^th of 2056 public elementary schools	96.4%	64	78.4	70.0	81.8	80.4	92.5	80.6	80.0	74.5	56.9	77.5	71.9	97.6%		$18,076	$297	$17,779
Prospect Elementary School	Public	K-5	130 N Prospect Ave	Clarendon Hills	60514	DuPage County	Hinsdale CCSD 181	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(630) 861-4400	302	25	11.8	2.3%	214 (70.9%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (7.6%)	46 (15.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.3%)	95.8	39^th of 1737 public elementary schools	97.8%		97.5	20^th of 2056 public elementary schools	99.0%	19	81.6	90.0	89.1	83.7		87.6	95.0	90.6	73.5		86.3	98%		$23,927	$364	$23,563

Frequently Asked Questions about Lester Elementary School

How many students attend Lester Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 531 students attended Lester Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Lester Elementary School?

Students at Lester Elementary School are 78% White, 11% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 2% African American.

What district is Lester Elementary School in?

Downers Grove GSD 58

Is Lester Elementary School a good school?

Yes. Lester Elementary School ranks in the top 8.0% of Illinois elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Lester Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Herrick Middle School
High : Community High School District 99 - North High School

Rate Lester Elementary School!

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Latest Illinois data All new data »

2025–26 school spending dataNewOct 30, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 30, 2026

2025–26 ACT, IAR, ISA & PreACT Secure test scoresNewOct 30, 2026

2013–14 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

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.