Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Paw Paw Elementary School

Q: Is Paw Paw Elementary School a good school?

Paw Paw Elementary School ranks 936 th of 2056 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

936^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,056 Illinois Elementary Schools

Better than 54% of Illinois elementary schools

Summary

Paw Paw Elementary School is a small public elementary school serving grades K-5 in the rural town of Paw Paw, Illinois. With just 99 students, the school is part of the Paw Paw CUSD 271 district, which is ranked 474 out of 811 districts in the state.

Academically, Paw Paw Elementary has shown mixed performance. In the 2024-2025 school year, 59% of students were proficient or better in ELA and 38.5% in Math, outperforming the state averages but underperforming the district. However, in the previous year, the school's proficiency rates were significantly lower at 27.9% in ELA and 25.6% in Math. The school has also struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 25.4% to 29.8% over the past few years, well above the state average.

Compared to nearby schools, Paw Paw Elementary's performance is mixed. While it outperforms some schools like Blackstone Elementary and Lincoln Elementary in Mendota, it underperforms others, such as Creston Elementary and Indian Creek Elementary, in both ELA and Math proficiency. Despite the school's relatively high per-student spending and low student-teacher ratio, the academic performance and chronic absenteeism issues suggest areas for improvement.

Students ?

9.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,247

Per pupil spending ?

33.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

511 Chapman St
Paw Paw, IL 61353-8932

(815) 627-2841

District: Paw Paw CUSD 271

Students who attend Paw Paw Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:

Paw Paw Junior High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.9%

Hispanic:

9.2%

African American:

3.4%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Paw Paw Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 61st percentile in 2021 → 54th in 2025

Strengths

✓Above the Illinois median (54th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 61st-percentile peak (2021) to 54th (2025)

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school49%

District avg42%

Illinois avg46%

936^th of 2,056

Illinois public elementary schools ?

Top 46%▲ up 26 pts since 2015

From bottom 28% (2015) to top 46% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

474^th of 811Paw Paw CUSD 271 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	53.4	936 of 2056	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	33.4	1300 of 2067	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	54.1	858 of 2082	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	54.4	768 of 1948	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	28.1	1506 of 2086	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	40.1	1168 of 2037	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	29.8	1413 of 2044	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	23.0	1617 of 2046	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	27.9	1477 of 2052	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	50.9	1075 of 2093	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2013	60.8	924 of 2167	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2012	75.5	531 of 2166	75.5%	★★★★☆
2011	57.5	1114 of 2147	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2010	51.2	1262 of 2139	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	46.3	1349 of 2120	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	62.2	982 of 2092	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2007	57.4	1126 of 2095	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2006	63.4	943 of 2086	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2005	40.2	1414 of 2022	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2004	38.1	1453 of 2030	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	49.9	1219 of 2020	39.7%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2019	9.8	1970 of 2019	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	35.5	972 of 1389	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	21.9	1159 of 1392	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	41.9	850 of 1425	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	5.8	1440 of 1462	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	6.9	1438 of 1463	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

White (2025)30th percentile-24 vs school

Male (2019)2nd percentile-25 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts59%+6 vs state

Mathematics38%~ state avg

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Paw Paw Elementary School and help other families decide.

Rate Paw Paw Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Paw Paw 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
Paw Paw Elementary School	Public	K-5	511 Chapman St	Paw Paw	61353	Lee County	Paw Paw CUSD 271	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 627-2841	87	10	9.1	33.3%	73 (83.9%)	3 (3.4%)	8 (9.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.4%)	53.4	936^th of 2056 public elementary schools	54.5%		33.4	1300^th of 2067 public elementary schools	37.1%	364			57.1	61.5					59.0	38.1	30.8					38.5	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0			$20,247	$1,278	$18,969
Indian Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	301 W Cherokee Ave	Shabbona	60550	DeKalb County	Indian Creek CUSD 425	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 824-2122	269	26	10.3	40.5%	212 (78.8%)	4 (1.5%)	47 (17.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	3 (1.1%)	81.1	371^st of 2056 public elementary schools	82.0%		62.9	680^th of 2067 public elementary schools	67.1%	309			69.0	68.8					68.9	63.8	58.3					61.3	85.2	84.8	84.8	84.8	88.3	84.8	85.6	8.6		$17,079	$500	$16,579
Earlville Elementary School	Public	K-8	415 W Union St	Earlville	60518	LaSalle County	Earlville CUSD 9	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 246-8361	253	25	10.1	45.1%	207 (81.8%)	1 (0.4%)	34 (13.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.3%)	62.2	758^th of 2056 public elementary schools	63.1%		40.8	1135^th of 2067 public elementary schools	45.1%	377	50.0	30.8	55.2	45.8	43.8	53.6	33.3	23.1	42.7	51.7	45.8	50.0	51.7	29.6	19.2	41.1	93.7	96.5	96.5	96.5	97.6	95.3	96.1		33.1	$19,048	$822	$18,226
Leland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	370 N Main St	Leland	60531	LaSalle County	Leland CUSD 1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 495-3231	175	18	9.9	37.7%	130 (74.3%)	1 (0.6%)	41 (23.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.7%)	62	764^th of 2056 public elementary schools	62.8%		45.4	1035^th of 2067 public elementary schools	49.9%	271	36.8	52.6	50.0	50.0	52.6	62.5	40.0	73.7	55.2	70.0	50.0	31.6	43.8	64.3	31.6	48.1	96.0	96.0	96.0	96.0	96.6	96.0	96.0		33.1	$17,427	$625	$16,802
Steward Elementary School	Public	K-8	602 Main St	Steward	60553	Lee County	Steward Education Service District 220	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 396-2413	57	10	5.7	17.5%	46 (80.7%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (14.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.3%)								(n/a)		90.0						80.0	38.2						80.0	55.9	91.1	91.1	91.1	91.1	91.1	91.1	91.1		33.9	$25,145	$172	$24,974
Lincoln Elementary School	Public	2-4	805 4th Ave	Mendota	61342	LaSalle County	Mendota CCSD 289	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 538-6226	319	27	11.8	61.1%	164 (51.4%)	11 (3.4%)	131 (41.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.1%)	35.6	1299^th of 2056 public elementary schools	36.8%		32.9	1316^th of 2067 public elementary schools	36.3%	17			38.5	36.5					37.6	42.2	29.2					36.1	99.1	99.4	99.4	99.4	99.1	99.4	99.1			$15,114	$1,100	$14,015
Blackstone Elementary School	Public	K-1	1309 Jefferson St	Mendota	61342	LaSalle County	Mendota CCSD 289	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 539-6888	197	17	11.5	62.4%	96 (48.7%)	2 (1.0%)	87 (44.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.1%)								(n/a)																	96.6	98.1	98.1	98.1	99.5	97.1	97.6			$17,684	$1,032	$16,651
Harding Grade School	Public	PK, KG-4	1643 N 40th Rd	Earlville	60518	LaSalle County	Serena CUSD 2	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 792-8216	130	9	14.4	36.2%	111 (85.4%)	1 (0.8%)	11 (8.5%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.6%)	66	690^th of 2056 public elementary schools	66.4%		65.9	633^rd of 2067 public elementary schools	69.4%	57			50.0	52.4					51.2	70.0	47.6					58.5	97.5	97.5	97.5	97.5	97.5	97.5	97.5	17.5		$21,301	$3,127	$18,174
James R Wood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	320 S Maple St	Somonauk	60552	DeKalb County	Somonauk CUSD 432	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 498-2338	298	29	10.4	39.6%	246 (82.6%)	2 (0.7%)	43 (14.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.0%)	57.5	862^nd of 2056 public elementary schools	58.1%		34.1	1286^th of 2067 public elementary schools	37.8%	424			69.6	39.3					52.3	60.9	31.1					43.9	80.5	82.8	82.8	82.8	78.5	82.1	80.8	7.0		$18,067	$810	$17,257
Creston Elementary School	Public	K-8	202 W South St	Creston	60113	Ogle County	Creston CCSD 161	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 384-3920	76	10	7.4	46.1%	44 (57.9%)	4 (5.3%)	25 (32.9%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.6%)	62.5	752^nd of 2056 public elementary schools	63.4%		82.5	311^th of 2067 public elementary schools	85.0%	441	30.0	70.0		33.3	60.0			80.0	66.0		66.7	90.0			60.0	70.2	98.8	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	98.8		26.3	$19,766	$1,538	$18,228

Frequently Asked Questions about Paw Paw Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Paw Paw Elementary School?

Students at Paw Paw Elementary School are 84% White, 9% Hispanic, 3% African American, 3% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Paw Paw Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Paw Paw Junior High School

How many students attend Paw Paw Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 87 students attended Paw Paw Elementary School.

Is Paw Paw Elementary School a good school?

Paw Paw Elementary School ranks 936^th of 2056 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Paw Paw Elementary School in?

Paw Paw CUSD 271

Rate Paw Paw Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

ILIllinois Elementary School Rankings

ILIllinois District Rankings

Schools in Paw Paw, IL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Paw Paw Elementary School!

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.