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Gardner Elementary School

Q: Is Gardner Elementary School a good school?

Gardner Elementary School ranks 312 th of 2056 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 4-5

312^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,056 Illinois Elementary Schools

Better than 85% of Illinois elementary schools

Summary

Gardner Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Waterloo, Illinois, serving grades 4-5 with a total enrollment of 384 students. The school is part of the Waterloo CUSD 5 district, which is ranked 125 out of 811 districts in Illinois and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Gardner Elementary consistently performs well on state assessments, with 68.9% of students proficient or better in ELA and 61.2% in Math for the 2024-2025 school year, significantly higher than the state averages. The school's performance on the Illinois Science Assessment is also strong, with 62.5% of 5th-grade students proficient or better. Gardner Elementary's performance has been consistently high over the past several years, with rankings in the top 20% of Illinois elementary schools. The school performs particularly well with its low-income and special education students, ranking in the top 5% and top 30% of Illinois elementary schools, respectively, for these subgroups.

While Gardner Elementary's overall performance is impressive, the school has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 8.7% in 2022-2023 to 25.4% in 2024-2025. This is an area that the school and district should focus on improving. Compared to nearby schools, Gardner Elementary's performance is generally stronger than W.J. Zahnow Elementary and Rogers Elementary, but the nearby Parkview Elementary School in the Columbia CUSD 4 district outperforms Gardner Elementary in both ELA and Math.

374

Students ?

16.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,858

Per pupil spending ?

20.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1 Ed Gardner Pl
Waterloo, IL 62298-1677

(618) 939-3060

District: Waterloo CUSD 5

Students who attend Gardner Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Waterloo Junior High School
High:	Waterloo High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.6%

Hispanic:

3.2%

Two or more races:

2.4%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Gardner Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 89th percentile in 2015 → 85th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Illinois average (64% vs 44% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 15% of Illinois elementary schools

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school64%

District avg64%

Illinois avg44%

312^th of 2,056

Illinois public elementary schools ?

Top 15%▼ down 4 pts since 2015

From top 11% (2015) to top 15% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

125^th of 811Waterloo CUSD 5 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	83.6	312 of 2056	84.8%	★★★★☆
2024	81.2	337 of 2067	83.7%	★★★★☆
2023	76.9	427 of 2077	79.4%	★★★★☆
2022	81.6	351 of 2082	83.1%	★★★★☆
2021	86.8	205 of 1948	89.5%	★★★★☆
2019	85.3	259 of 2086	87.6%	★★★★☆
2018	89.7	166 of 2037	91.9%	★★★★★
2017	89.0	179 of 2044	91.2%	★★★★★
2016	85.9	257 of 2046	87.4%	★★★★☆
2015	88.2	233 of 2052	88.6%	★★★★☆
2014	83.2	314 of 2093	85.0%	★★★★☆
2013	82.9	321 of 2167	85.2%	★★★★☆
2012	78.6	412 of 2166	81.0%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	45.1	492 of 1049	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.6	124 of 886	86.0%	★★★★☆
2023	77.3	117 of 907	87.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	80.3	342 of 1942	82.4%	★★★★☆
2024	77.7	350 of 1942	82.0%	★★★★☆
2023	73.5	446 of 1957	77.2%	★★★★☆
2022	82.0	310 of 1970	84.3%	★★★★☆
2021	88.6	125 of 1680	92.6%	★★★★★
2019	84.5	232 of 2019	88.5%	★★★★☆
2018	91.0	118 of 1964	94.0%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	88.0	96 of 1800	94.7%	★★★★★
2024	84.5	130 of 1793	92.7%	★★★★★
2023	68.9	366 of 1808	79.8%	★★★★☆
2022	75.7	228 of 1763	87.1%	★★★★☆
2021	85.4	85 of 1514	94.4%	★★★★★
2019	71.9	316 of 1816	82.6%	★★★★☆
2018	83.3	131 of 1765	92.6%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	84.3	266 of 1947	86.3%	★★★★☆
2024	81.8	304 of 1959	84.5%	★★★★☆
2023	77.4	380 of 1984	80.8%	★★★★☆
2022	79.2	352 of 1977	82.2%	★★★★☆
2021	78.4	292 of 1707	82.9%	★★★★☆
2019	84.3	255 of 2019	87.4%	★★★★☆
2018	86.2	215 of 1972	89.1%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	61.7	389 of 1292	69.9%	★★★★☆
2024	73.5	206 of 1195	82.8%	★★★★☆
2023	68.5	254 of 1156	78.0%	★★★★☆
2022	56.0	340 of 1113	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	62.1	167 of 640	73.9%	★★★★☆
2019	85.2	88 of 1194	92.6%	★★★★★
2018	69.1	130 of 763	83.0%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	67.8	407 of 1389	70.7%	★★★★☆
2024	64.1	452 of 1392	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.7	573 of 1419	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.2	446 of 1425	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	74.4	246 of 1308	81.2%	★★★★☆
2019	70.1	370 of 1462	74.7%	★★★★☆
2018	80.2	219 of 1463	85.0%	★★★★☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)95th percentile+10 vs school

Male (2025)86th percentile~ school

Female (2025)82nd percentile~ school

White (2025)71st percentile-14 vs school

Special Education (2025)70th percentile-15 vs school

Disabled (2025)53rd percentile-32 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts69%+16 vs state

Science62%+22 vs state

Mathematics61%+23 vs state

★

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Schools Near Gardner 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 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
Gardner Elementary School	Public	4-5	1 Ed Gardner Pl	Waterloo	62298	Monroe County	Waterloo CUSD 5	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 939-3060	374	23	16.2	20.6%	350 (93.6%)	3 (0.8%)	12 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.4%)	83.6	312^th of 2056 public elementary schools	84.8%		81.2	337^th of 2067 public elementary schools	83.7%	25	62.5			71.4	65.6				68.9		58.1	65.0				61.2	95.8	96.9	96.9	96.9	97.4	97.1	97.4			$11,858	$630	$11,228
Rogers Elementary School	Public	2-3	200 Rogers St	Waterloo	62298	Monroe County	Waterloo CUSD 5	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 939-3454	417	26	16.0	20.9%	390 (93.5%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (2.9%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.6%)								(n/a)			75.0						75.0	80.4						80.4	97.2	97.2	97.2	97.2		97.2	97.2			$11,167	$563	$10,604
W J Zahnow Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	301 Hamacher St	Waterloo	62298	Monroe County	Waterloo CUSD 5	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 939-3458	487	33	14.7	24.6%	452 (92.8%)	3 (0.6%)	15 (3.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.9%)								(n/a)																	94.9	95.1	95.1	95.1	95.9	94.9	94.9	12.4		$14,255	$764	$13,490
Valmeyer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	300 S Cedar Bluff Dr	Valmeyer	62295	Monroe County	Valmeyer CUSD 3	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 935-2100	152	13	11.4	21.7%	148 (97.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42.1	1162^nd of 2056 public elementary schools	43.5%		43.7	1075^th of 2067 public elementary schools	48.0%	87	28.6		68.8	50.0	21.4				42.2	62.5	15.0	17.9				28.1	96.7	96.7	96.7	96.7	96.7	96.7	96.7	12.6		$14,569	$735	$13,834
Eagleview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	113 S Rapp Ave	Columbia	62236	Monroe County	Columbia CUSD 4	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 281-4995	259	21	12.1	16.2%	234 (90.3%)	4 (1.5%)	7 (2.7%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.2%)								(n/a)																	98.1	98.4	98.4	98.4	99.4	98.1	98.4	16.0		$13,052	$559	$12,493
Parkview Elementary School	Public	2-4	1 Veterans Pkwy	Columbia	62236	Monroe County	Columbia CUSD 4	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 281-4997	427	29	14.5	14.5%	395 (92.5%)	3 (0.7%)	17 (4.0%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.2%)	94.8	73^rd of 2056 public elementary schools	96.4%		91.4	160^th of 2067 public elementary schools	92.3%	87			74.5	89.6					82.1	81.6	86.8					84.2	98.6	98.8	98.8	98.8	98.8	98.6	98.4			$11,547	$344	$11,203
Millstadt Primary Center	Public	PK, KG-2	105 W Parkview Dr	Millstadt	62260	St. Clair County	Millstadt CCSD 160	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 476-7100	246	20	12.3	30.9%	219 (89.0%)	12 (4.9%)	7 (2.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)								(n/a)																	96.1	96.1	96.1	96.1	96.1	96.1	96.1	14.9		$8,811	$80	$8,731
Smithton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	316 S Hickory St	Smithton	62285	St. Clair County	Smithton CCSD 130	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 233-6863	541	40	13.5	12.9%	511 (94.5%)	13 (2.4%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.4%)	83.8	308^th of 2056 public elementary schools	85.0%		81	340^th of 2067 public elementary schools	83.6%	32	59.6	86.2	64.4	77.8	64.9	75.4	89.6	86.2	76.9	62.7	73.6	49.1	59.0	35.8	47.7	54.9	98.6	98.7	98.7	98.7	98.9	98.6	98.6	3.3	35.2	$11,343	$365	$10,977
Red Bud Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	200 W Field Dr	Red Bud	62278	Randolph County	Red Bud CUSD 132	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 282-3858	582	44	13.3	49.0%	531 (91.2%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (3.4%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.1%)	55.9	888^th of 2056 public elementary schools	56.8%		63.9	665^th of 2067 public elementary schools	67.8%	223	38.9	47.8	58.2	61.3	60.3	47.4	68.6	72.7	61.5	60.0	40.3	34.2	12.3	41.2	26.9	35.3	99.7	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.3	99.2	99.3	11.4	30.0	$13,329	$529	$12,800
Bluffview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	905 Bluffview Elementary Ln	Dupo	62239	St. Clair County	Community Unit School District No 196	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 286-3311	501	39	12.9	67.5%	396 (79.0%)	49 (9.8%)	21 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.0%)	57.2	866^th of 2056 public elementary schools	57.9%		50.9	913^th of 2067 public elementary schools	55.8%	47	50.0		41.4	59.3	56.5	61.9			53.5	48.6	37.0	27.4	35.7			37.7	98.6	98.8	98.8	98.8	99.2	98.8	98.6	13.4	11.6	$15,669	$1,410	$14,259

Frequently Asked Questions about Gardner Elementary School

What district is Gardner Elementary School in?

Waterloo CUSD 5

What is the racial makeup of Gardner Elementary School?

Students at Gardner Elementary School are 94% White, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

Is Gardner Elementary School a good school?

Gardner Elementary School ranks 312^th of 2056 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Gardner Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Waterloo Junior High School
High : Waterloo High School

How many students attend Gardner Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 374 students attended Gardner Elementary School.

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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.