Madison Elem School vs Oak Elem School

Madison Elem School and Oak Elem School sit 0.9 miles apart in Hinsdale, Illinois, and both rank among the top elementary schools in the state — but Oak edges ahead. Oak Elem School holds an overall rating of 9.7/10 versus Madison Elem School's 9.6/10, a narrow gap that belies a more meaningful difference in state rank: Oak Elem School places #14 of 3813 Illinois elementary schools while Madison Elem School ranks #20 of 3813. Both are exceptional; Oak is measurably higher in the state hierarchy.

Academically, the two schools are nearly identical, with Madison Elem School earning a 9.9/10 academic score and Oak Elem School a perfect 10.0/10. The wider gap appears in growth: Oak Elem School scores 9.8/10 on student growth versus Madison Elem School's 9.5/10. That 0.3-point difference signals that Oak is pushing students further from their starting points year over year — a meaningful indicator for families whose children enter with varying preparation levels.

Madison Elem School enrolls 359 students against Oak Elem School's 396, keeping both campuses relatively small. The more notable structural difference is student-teacher ratio: Madison Elem School runs 11.6 students per teacher compared to Oak Elem School's 12.8:1. Madison's lower ratio means, on average, each teacher manages roughly one fewer student per classroom — a tangible advantage for families who prioritize individual attention and smaller instructional groups.

The clearest programmatic distinction between the two schools is grade coverage. Madison Elem School serves kindergarten through fifth grade, while Oak Elem School extends down to pre-kindergarten, offering PK–05 programming. Families with children aged three to four who want continuity within a single high-performing school have an option at Oak that Madison does not provide. For families entering at kindergarten or later, both schools offer comparable grade structures through fifth grade.