Hawthorne Elem School vs Jefferson Elem School

Hawthorne Elem School and Jefferson Elem School sit 1.3 miles apart in Elmhurst, Illinois, and land at virtually the same overall rating — both score 9.2/10 — separated by a single spot in Illinois's statewide rankings: Hawthorne at #56 of 3,813 and Jefferson at #57 of 3,813. For parents, that near-identical overall score masks real differences in the underlying components.

Academically, Hawthorne Elem School holds a measurable edge. Its academic score of 9.7/10 tops Jefferson Elem School's 9.3/10 by four-tenths of a point, and the growth gap is wider: Hawthorne's 9.8/10 growth score outpaces Jefferson's 9.2/10 by six-tenths. Growth scores reflect how much students improve year over year relative to academic peers, so Hawthorne is not only performing at a higher absolute level — its students are gaining ground faster.

The two schools differ significantly in size and classroom density. Hawthorne Elem School enrolls 596 students against Jefferson Elem School's 335, nearly 80 percent more. That scale translates directly to student-teacher ratios: Hawthorne runs 14.9 students per teacher while Jefferson runs 11.6 — a difference of 3.3 students per classroom. Both schools serve similar socioeconomic populations, with free and reduced lunch rates of 7 percent at Hawthorne and 6 percent at Jefferson, so the ratio gap is structural, not demographic. Families who prioritize smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher attention will find that at Jefferson.

Both schools serve grades KG–05, so there is no structural difference in grade span or programming level. The competitive overlap is essentially complete — same grades, same district, same overall rating, and less than two miles apart. The decision between Hawthorne Elem School and Jefferson Elem School therefore comes down to whether a family weights academic momentum and growth trajectory (Hawthorne's advantage) over classroom intimacy and a smaller school community (Jefferson's advantage).