Dr ML King Jr Literary&Fine Arts vs Orrington Elem School
Dr ML King Jr Literary&Fine Arts has a higher overall rating of 9.0/10 compared to 6.1/10. In math proficiency, Orrington Elem School leads at 67.0%.
Attendance data is under correction. A public school's existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating shown here may still reflect an unverified attendance input.
Dr ML King Jr Literary&Fine Arts
Evanston, IL
367 students
Orrington Elem School
Evanston, IL
244 students
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| Metric | Dr ML King Jr Literary&Fine Arts | Orrington Elem School |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.0 / 10 | 6.1 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 8.1 | 9.4 |
| Growth Score | 9.2 | 2.5 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 50.4% | 22.1% |
| Environment Score | 9.8 | 9.9 |
| State Rank | #154 of 3,814 | #2,185 of 3,814 |
| State Percentile | 96th | 43th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Dr ML King Jr Literary&Fine Arts | Orrington Elem School |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 34.0% | 67.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 35.0% | 57.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
Neighborhood
| Metric | Evanston (60201) | Evanston (60201) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $92,101 | $92,101 |
| Median Home Value | $577,800 | $577,800 |
| Median Rent | $1,792 | $1,792 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 73.9% | 73.9% |
| Poverty Rate | 14.2% | 14.2% |
| Avg Commute | 27 min | 27 min |
The data story: Dr ML King Jr Literary&Fine Arts vs Orrington Elem School
Dr. ML King Jr. Literary & Fine Arts School and Orrington Elementary School sit 2.1 miles apart in Evanston, Illinois, and rank among the top 2% of all schools statewide — King at #58 of 3,813 and Orrington at #75 of 3,813. Their overall ratings are separated by a single tenth of a point (9.2 vs. 9.1), making this one of the tightest head-to-head comparisons a parent can face in the district.
The academic profiles pull in opposite directions. Orrington posts a 9.8/10 academic score versus King's 8.4 — a 1.4-point gap that reflects notably stronger proficiency on standardized measures. King offsets this with a significantly higher growth score: 9.4/10 compared to Orrington's 8.4, meaning students at King are advancing at a faster rate relative to their starting points. Parents weighing raw achievement against learning trajectory will find a genuine trade-off here rather than a clear winner.
The two schools serve meaningfully different populations. King enrolls 367 students with 50% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch; Orrington serves 244 students with 22% on FRL. King's student-teacher ratio of 7.2:1 is substantially lower than Orrington's 11.1:1 — nearly four additional students per teacher — which translates to more individualized attention per child regardless of class composition. King's higher FRL rate also signals a more economically diverse environment, which some families actively seek for their children.
Grade span is a practical differentiator worth planning around. Dr. ML King Jr. Literary & Fine Arts serves kindergarten through 8th grade, giving enrolled families a single-school path through elementary and middle school. Orrington covers only kindergarten through 5th grade, meaning families will need to identify and transition to a separate middle school after fifth grade. For families with younger children, King's extended grade range can simplify logistics considerably over an eight-year horizon.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Dr ML King Jr Literary&Fine Arts
Dr. ML King Jr. Literary & Fine Arts suits families who prioritize strong student growth, want a K–8 school that avoids a mid-childhood transition, and value a lower student-teacher ratio of 7.2:1. Its economically diverse enrollment (50% FRL) makes it a strong fit for parents who want their children learning alongside peers from varied backgrounds.
Orrington Elem School
Orrington Elementary suits families focused on peak academic proficiency — its 9.8/10 academic score is 1.4 points higher than King's — and who prefer a smaller, less economically stratified environment. Parents who already have a preferred middle school in mind will find Orrington's KG–5 structure a natural fit for that transition plan.