Best Schools in Oak Park, Illinois
22 schools · 17 Elementary · 2 Middle · 3 High
Choosing a school in Oak Park?
Use this page to compare every school in Oak Park by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Irving Elem School
Elementary · Oak Park Esd 97. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School
Middle · Oak Park Esd 97. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
William Beye Elem School
Elementary · Oak Park Esd 97. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Oak Park for 2026 are Irving Elem School (9.3/10), Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School (9.1/10), and William Beye Elem School (8.8/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 11 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
22
11 public · 11 private
Avg Score
7.5
out of 10
Median Home
$383,700
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Schools
22
11 public · 11 private
Avg Score
7.5
out of 10
Median Home
$383,700
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Rates 9.3/10 despite 19% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.2 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Oak Park schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +16.8 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Oak Park schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Oak Park
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 11 rated schools; 22 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Irving Elem School | 9.3 / 10 |
| 2 | Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School | 9.1 / 10 |
| 3 | William Beye Elem School | 8.8 / 10 |
| 4 | Horace Mann Elem School | 8.7 / 10 |
| 5 | Oak Park & River Forest High Sch | 8.6 / 10 |
| 6 | Percy Julian Middle School | 8.2 / 10 |
| 7 | Longfellow Elem School | 8.1 / 10 |
| 8 | Abraham Lincoln Elem School | 7.7 / 10 |
| 9 | Oliver W Holmes Elem School | 7.3 / 10 |
| 10 | William Hatch Elem School | 6.8 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 7.5/10
- Median household income
- $111,234
- Median home value
- $383,700
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 75%
- Avg commute
- 31 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 50%
74% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Oak Park compares
Illinois rank
#45 of 450
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+1.2
above Illinois avg (6.4)
Median household income
$111k
136% of Illinois median
Schools in this city
19
Oak Park Esd 97 runs 91% of Oak Park's public schools
Oak Park touches 2 districts, but Oak Park Esd 97 is the one most addresses actually attend.
Oak Park Esd 97 accounts for 10 of 11 public schools (91%). The other 1 district holds the remaining 1.
Among 11 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 6.2 to 9.3 — the spread is inside Oak Park, not a citywide average.
- Oak Park Esd 9710 public · 91%
- Oak Park - River Forest SD 2001 public · 9%
About Schools in Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois has 11 ranked public schools averaging 8.0 out of 10 — a figure that signals broad, consistent quality rather than isolated excellence. Nine of those 11 schools (82%) score 7.0 or higher, which means families here face a genuinely strong baseline regardless of neighborhood assignment. That uniformity across the district is notable: very few systems produce this combination of high average score and wide high-performer share.
Whittier Elementary tops the city at 9.5 out of 10, the highest mark among all ranked schools. Abraham Lincoln Elementary follows at 9.0, and Horace Mann Elementary sits at 8.9 — three elementary schools landing in the district's top tier. Families with younger children have multiple strong options, and the spread between them is narrow enough that school proximity often matters more than chasing the single top score.
The quality extends through middle school and into high school. Percy Julian Middle School scores 8.9, matching Horace Mann and ranking among the city's strongest schools overall. Oak Park & River Forest High School rounds out the top five at 8.8. Parents tracking a full K–12 path will find the transition years don't carry the performance drop common in other districts — the system delivers near the same level at every grade band.
The practical picture: Oak Park is a high-floor district. The 8.0 system average, backed by 82% of schools clearing 7.0, makes most neighborhood-level assignments competitive. Families targeting the absolute top should focus on Whittier, but even schools outside the top five sit well above average. Choosing a home address here means deciding between strong and stronger — not between strong and mediocre.
Elementary Schools
17 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 541 students · Kindergarten–5th | 9.3 | ||
| 2 | 390 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.8 | ||
| 3 | 420 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.7 | ||
| 4 | 517 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.1 | ||
| 5 | 576 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.7 | ||
| 6 | 534 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.3 | ||
| 7 | 365 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.8 | ||
| 8 | 370 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.2 | ||
Private Schools9 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Alcuin Montessori SchoolPrivate 90 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 132 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated | ||
Show all 17 elementary schools in Oak Park
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 981 students · 6th–8th | 9.1 |
| 2 | 902 students · 6th–8th | 8.2 |
High Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,256 students · 9th–12th | 8.6 | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Fenwick High SchoolPrivate 1,024 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Cornerstone AcademyPrivate 23 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Oak Park
Oak Park, Illinois · 22 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes
Median Income
$111,234
Median Home Value
$383,700
Median Rent
$1,641/mo
Population
53,315
College Educated
75%
Homeownership
50%
Avg Commute
31 min
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Community Profile
Oak Park has a median household income of $111,234. It is a well-educated community where 75% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $383,700, with a median rent of $1,641/month. The local poverty rate of 6.3% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 31 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Illinois
- Elementary
- 17
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 3
Resources
Other Major Cities in Illinois
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Oak Park, Illinois
How many schools are in Oak Park, Illinois?
Oak Park has 22 schools, including 11 public and 11 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Oak Park, Illinois?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Oak Park is 7.5 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Oak Park, Illinois?
The top-ranked school in Oak Park on MySchoolScout is Irving Elem School with a composite score of 9.3/10.
What is the best elementary school in Oak Park, Illinois?
The top-ranked elementary school in Oak Park on MySchoolScout is Irving Elem School with a composite score of 9.3/10.
What is the best middle school in Oak Park, Illinois?
The top-ranked middle school in Oak Park on MySchoolScout is Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best high school in Oak Park, Illinois?
The top-ranked high school in Oak Park on MySchoolScout is Oak Park & River Forest High Sch with a composite score of 8.6/10.
How many school districts serve Oak Park, Illinois?
Oak Park is served by 2 school districts: Oak Park Esd 97, Oak Park - River Forest Sd 200.
What is the education level in Oak Park, Illinois?
According to Census data, 75% of adults in Oak Park have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Oak Park, Illinois?
The median household income in Oak Park is approximately $111,234 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Oak Park, Illinois?
Yes, Oak Park has 11 private schools alongside 11 public schools. The top-rated private school is Alcuin Montessori School with a score of 8.4/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Oak Park, Illinois?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Oak Park is 11.0:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Oak Park, Illinois?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Illinois Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.