Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 61821

Six elementary schools in ZIP code 61821 are part of Champaign CUSD 4; most serve elementary grades, while International Prep Academy extends through grade 8. Results show meaningful differences among schools, rather than one uniform pattern across the area. The most important finding is the gap in grade 4 ELA: Kenwood Elementary School scored 48% proficient, compared with 20% at Garden Hills Elementary Academy, a 28-point spread.

Kenwood stands out most consistently in ELA, leading schools with reported results in grades 3, 4 and 5, and averaging 46% across those grades versus 36% at the other four K–5 schools. Its grade 4 result was 8 points below the state rate; Garden Hills’ was 36 points below. Math leaders varied by grade: Dr Howard Elementary School led grade 3 at 41%, while International Prep Academy led grades 4 and 5 at 37% and 30%; each was below the state rate. Kenwood also led reported grade 5 science at 51%, 4 points above the state.

Recent all-grades changes were mixed. Howard gained 9 points in ELA and 11 in math from 2024–25 to 2025–26, while Robeson Elementary School fell 4 and 6 points, and Westview Elementary School fell 4 points in each subject. Kenwood gained 7 points in ELA but declined 1 in math. SchoolDigger places Kenwood in the 30th percentile, with two stars, among these schools with a current rank shown. As context, 2024–25 free/reduced lunch eligible shares ranged from 51% at Robeson to 79% at Garden Hills; schools with similar shares still had different results. Grade spans differ and some Garden Hills grade results are suppressed, so grade-by-grade comparisons are more informative than all-grades totals.