Hough Street Elem School vs Arnett C Lines Elem School

Both Hough Street Elem School and Arnett C Lines Elem School earn elite overall ratings, but Arnett C Lines edges ahead by 0.2 points — 9.6 versus 9.4 — and that gap carries more weight in state context than the raw numbers suggest. Arnett C Lines ranks #18 of 3,813 Illinois elementary schools; Hough Street ranks #32 of 3,813. Both land in the top 1% statewide, but Arnett C Lines sits 14 positions higher in a field of nearly four thousand schools — a meaningful distinction for families comparing the very top of the market.

Academically, the two schools are nearly identical: Hough Street Elem School scores 9.8/10 versus Arnett C Lines Elem School's 9.9/10 — a negligible one-tenth-point difference. The growth score, however, tells a sharper story. Arnett C Lines scores 9.8/10 on growth compared to Hough Street's 9.0/10 — a 0.8-point gap that reflects how much academic progress students make year over year, not just where they start. For parents focused on trajectory and improvement rather than baseline performance, that difference in growth score is the single most important data point between these two schools.

Hough Street Elem School enrolls 259 students against Arnett C Lines Elem School's 488 — a nearly 2:1 enrollment difference, despite both being a 0.9-mile drive apart. Hough Street's smaller enrollment pairs with a student-teacher ratio of 11.8:1, compared to 13.6:1 at Arnett C Lines. Parents who prioritize individual attention and a tighter-knit environment will find Hough Street's classroom density meaningfully lower. Free and reduced lunch rates are close — 12% at Hough Street and 14% at Arnett C Lines — suggesting comparable economic demographics across both attendance zones.

Both schools serve grades KG through 05, so grade span creates no structural difference for elementary-age families. The distinction lies in scale and momentum: Arnett C Lines combines a larger student body with a top-20 state rank and a growth score 0.8 points higher than Hough Street's, signaling a program that consistently accelerates achievement. Hough Street counters with a more intimate setting and one of the lowest student-teacher ratios among high-performing Illinois elementaries.