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Ralston Elementary School

Q: Is Ralston Elementary School a good school?

Ralston Elementary School ranks 903 rd of 1737 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 1-5

903^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,737 Illinois Elementary Schools

Better than 48% of Illinois elementary schools

Summary

Ralston Elementary School in Machesney Park, Illinois, enrolls 232 students in grades 1–5 and is part of Harlem UD 122, with several nearby elementary schools available for comparison. Its clearest headline is strong local performance: in 2025–26, Ralston ranked second among six nearby same-district schools serving these grades in both all-grades ELA and math, though fifth-grade math is an important exception.

Ralston’s all-grades ELA proficiency was 55% in 2025–26, 9 percentage points above the district and 1 point below the state. Its math proficiency was 40.1%, compared with 27% districtwide and 39.6% statewide—making it just above the state result. Fifth-grade science is a stronger point: 61% proficient, 17 points above the district and 13 points above the state, ranking third among nearby schools with reported results. Fifth-grade math, by contrast, was 26%, 11 points below the state’s 36% and below several nearby schools with reported scores. So the school’s overall local standing is strong, but the grade-level math results are uneven.

Results have improved over time: ELA rose from 33% in 2023–24 to 55% in 2025–26, a 22-point gain. Math increased from 26% to 40%, a 15-point gain, but dipped from 42% in 2024–25. SchoolDigger places Ralston at the 48th percentile with 2 stars in 2025–26; it ranks second among nearby same-district schools with a reported ranking, though some nearby schools have higher statewide ratings. SchoolDigger’s percentile for White Students was 11, well below the school’s overall 48th percentile, indicating a much lower statewide standing in its effectiveness ranking for that group. Its Male Students percentile was 28, down from 50 in 2023–24. As context, Ralston’s student-teacher ratio was 13.8 in 2024–25, above the 12.9 peer average, while 45% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible that year—the lowest reported share among nearby same-district schools.

232

Students ?

13.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,851

Per pupil spending ?

45.3%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

96.1%

Measles protection (all grades) (2025-26)

710 Ralston Rd
Machesney Park, IL 61115-1569

(815) 654-4505

District: Harlem UD 122

Students who attend Ralston Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Harlem Middle School
High:	Harlem High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

76.7%

Hispanic:

13.8%

Two or more races:

8.2%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Ralston Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 68th percentile in 2021 → 48th in 2026

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 68th-percentile peak (2021) to 48th (2026)

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school52%

District avg39%

Illinois avg48%

903^rd of 1,737

Illinois public elementary schools ?

Bottom 48%▲ up 11 pts since 2016

From bottom 37% (2016) to bottom 48% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 7Elementary Schools in the Harlem UD 122

616^th of 738Harlem UD 122 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	46.1	903 of 1737	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	47.9	1039 of 2056	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.3	996 of 2067	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.7	935 of 2077	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.0	1060 of 2082	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	61.0	633 of 1948	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.1	776 of 2086	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	49.8	950 of 2037	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2017	46.9	1021 of 2044	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2016	35.1	1285 of 2046	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2015	40.1	1124 of 2052	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	50.9	1073 of 2093	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2013	49.3	1167 of 2167	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	55.3	1161 of 2166	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2011	57.4	1121 of 2147	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	68.3	803 of 2139	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2009	66.0	871 of 2120	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2008	72.0	655 of 2092	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2007	72.9	597 of 2095	71.5%	★★★★☆
2006	69.3	730 of 2086	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2005	73.8	532 of 2022	73.7%	★★★★☆
2004	72.5	612 of 2030	69.9%	★★★☆☆
2003	79.1	374 of 2020	81.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	55.0	556 of 1286	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.8	856 of 1942	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.2	869 of 1942	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.1	928 of 1957	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.8	949 of 1970	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.5	701 of 1680	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	68.3	569 of 2019	71.8%	★★★★☆
2018	53.4	842 of 1964	57.1%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	51.1	842 of 1800	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.5	813 of 1793	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.8	796 of 1808	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.9	874 of 1763	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	73.5	201 of 1514	86.7%	★★★★☆
2019	63.3	500 of 1816	72.5%	★★★★☆
2018	56.5	640 of 1765	63.7%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	29.2	948 of 1311	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	44.8	1047 of 1947	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.2	986 of 1959	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	53.3	827 of 1984	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.5	997 of 1977	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	63.9	504 of 1707	70.5%	★★★★☆
2019	54.1	838 of 2019	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	46.5	960 of 1972	51.3%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	45.7	601 of 1292	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.3	407 of 1194	65.9%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	16.2	1025 of 1149	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	27.0	1071 of 1389	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.3	1003 of 1392	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.2	1080 of 1419	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.0	1111 of 1425	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	42.7	729 of 1308	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	42.4	876 of 1462	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	32.3	1030 of 1463	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Female (2026)57th percentile+9 vs school

Special Education (2025)53rd percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)53rd percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)28th percentile-20 vs school

White (2026)11th percentile-37 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2025-2026) ?

Science61%+13 vs state

English Language Arts55%~ state avg

Mathematics40%~ state avg

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Schools Near Ralston 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 (2024-25)	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 All Grades	IAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	IAR Mathematics 4th Grade	IAR Mathematics 5th 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
Ralston Elementary School	Public	1-5	710 Ralston Rd	Machesney Park	61115	Winnebago County	Harlem UD 122	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 654-4505	232	17	13.8	45.3%	178 (76.7%)	3 (1.3%)	32 (13.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (8.2%)	46.1	903^rd of 1737 public elementary schools	48.0%		47.9	1039^th of 2056 public elementary schools	49.5%	136	60.8	57.8	54.4	52.9	54.9	48.9	46.4	25.5	40.1	96.1%		$17,851	$1,571	$16,279
Olson Park Elementary School	Public	1-5	1414 Minahan Dr	Machesney Park	61115	Winnebago County	Harlem UD 122	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 654-4504	294	19	15.4	54.8%	198 (67.3%)	15 (5.1%)	43 (14.6%)	6 (2.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (10.2%)	70.7	460^th of 1737 public elementary schools	73.5%		68.5	633^rd of 2056 public elementary schools	69.2%	173	70.5	66.0	67.2	73.3	69.0	66.0	48.4	47.5	52.9	98.1%		$17,764	$1,756	$16,008
Machesney Elementary School	Public	1-5	8615 N 2nd St	Machesney Park	61115	Winnebago County	Harlem UD 122	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 654-4509	361	28	12.8	63.7%	185 (51.2%)	18 (5.0%)	133 (36.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.6%)	16.7	1451^st of 1737 public elementary schools	16.5%		38.1	1247^th of 2056 public elementary schools	39.3%	204	38.5	26.5	45.6	36.8	39.2	30.6	28.1	22.2	26.1	96.2%		$18,310	$1,766	$16,544
Marquette Elementary School	Public	1-3	8500 Victory Ln	Machesney Park	61115	Winnebago County	Harlem UD 122	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 654-4503	268	17	15.4	67.2%	179 (66.8%)	19 (7.1%)	42 (15.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (10.4%)								(n/a)						32.8			32.8	95.5%		$19,086	$2,002	$17,083
Donald C Parker Early Educ Center	Public	PK-K	808 Harlem Rd	Machesney Park	61115	Winnebago County	Harlem UD 122	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 654-4559	571	41	13.9	70.2%	350 (61.3%)	46 (8.1%)	106 (18.6%)	9 (1.6%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (10.0%)								(n/a)										92.3%		$17,852	$1,363	$16,488
Maple Elementary School	Public	1-5	1405 Maple Ave	Loves Park	61111	Winnebago County	Harlem UD 122	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 654-4502	313	24	13.1	74.8%	185 (59.1%)	29 (9.3%)	67 (21.4%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (8.3%)	26.8	1243^rd of 1737 public elementary schools	28.4%		34.5	1327^th of 2056 public elementary schools	35.5%	84	52.5	36.4	43.2	41.5	40.2	25.0	37.8	34.1	32.0	98.9%		$16,679	$1,548	$15,131
Rock Cut Elementary School	Public	1-5	7944 Forest Hills Rd	Loves Park	61111	Winnebago County	Harlem UD 122	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 654-4506	261	20	13.0	67.4%	155 (59.4%)	18 (6.9%)	49 (18.8%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (13.0%)	16.8	1448^th of 1737 public elementary schools	16.6%		17.2	1738^th of 2056 public elementary schools	15.5%	290		29.2	36.0	22.7	29.6	43.8	34.0		28.9	95.1%		$18,831	$1,986	$16,846
Windsor Elementary School	Public	1-5	935 Windsor Rd	Loves Park	61111	Winnebago County	Harlem UD 122	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 654-4507	315	27	11.6	70.2%	209 (66.3%)	24 (7.6%)	45 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (11.4%)	12	1561^st of 1737 public elementary schools	10.1%		29.4	1448^th of 2056 public elementary schools	29.6%	113	34.8	23.9	32.8	42.6	33.2	22.4	19.4		16.8	97.9%		$21,504	$2,116	$19,388
Kinnikinnick School	Public	4-5	5410 Pine Ln	Roscoe	61073	Winnebago County	Kinnikinnick CCSD 131	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 623-2837	350	0		30.6%	291 (83.1%)	6 (1.7%)	32 (9.1%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.6%)	76.3	362^nd of 1737 public elementary schools	79.2%		78.8	417^th of 2056 public elementary schools	79.7%	55	67.5		69.9	71.2	70.5		62.7	54.8	58.8	97.3%		$14,481	$848	$13,632
Thurgood Marshall Elementary	Public	1-4	4704 N Rockton Ave	Rockford	61103	Winnebago County	Rockford School District 205	No	(n/a)	No	No	(815) 966-3370	374	21	17.8	35.3%	170 (45.5%)	22 (5.9%)	77 (20.6%)	78 (20.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (7.0%)	99	3^rd of 1737 public elementary schools	99.8%		99.1	3^rd of 2056 public elementary schools	99.9%			95.9	100.0		98.1	99.0	100.0		99.5	97.5%		$14,680	$164	$14,516

Frequently Asked Questions about Ralston Elementary School

Is Ralston Elementary School a good school?

Ralston Elementary School ranks 903^rd of 1737 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Ralston Elementary School?

Students at Ralston Elementary School are 77% White, 14% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What district is Ralston Elementary School in?

Harlem UD 122

What schools do graduates of Ralston Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Harlem Middle School
High : Harlem High School

How many students attend Ralston Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 232 students attended Ralston Elementary School.

Rate Ralston 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.