Shabonee School vs Meadowbrook Elem School

Meadowbrook Elem School holds a meaningful edge in overall standing: rated 9.5 out of 10 against Shabonee School's 9.0, and ranked #28 of 3,813 Illinois elementary schools compared to Shabonee's #91. That 63-position gap in state rank is notable given how tightly clustered top-performing schools tend to be at this level, and both schools sit just 1.6 miles apart in Northbrook — meaning the difference reflects real performance variation, not geography or district demographics.

On raw academic proficiency, the two schools are indistinguishable: both Shabonee School and Meadowbrook Elem School score 9.9 out of 10 on academics. Where they diverge is student growth. Meadowbrook Elem School posts a growth score of 9.1 out of 10 versus Shabonee School's 8.0 — a 1.1-point gap that reflects how much progress students make year over year beyond what their starting point would predict. For families who care whether a school accelerates kids rather than just serving those who arrive ready to perform, Meadowbrook's growth advantage is the more telling number.

Enrollment at Meadowbrook Elem School runs slightly larger at 482 students versus Shabonee School's 437, though both schools share an identical student-teacher ratio of 12.1:1 — meaning class sizes and teacher access are equivalent despite the enrollment difference. Neither school stands out on this dimension; parents seeking smaller classes won't find a meaningful distinction here.

The clearest structural difference is grade configuration. Shabonee School serves grades 3 through 5 only, while Meadowbrook Elem School runs kindergarten through 5th grade. A family with a child entering kindergarten has no practical path to Shabonee at that stage, making Meadowbrook the only option of the two for the youngest elementary students. Families with children in grades 3–5 face a genuine choice, and for that group the growth score delta of 1.1 points and the state rank gap between #28 and #91 of 3,813 schools carry real weight.