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Public elementary school · Waterloo Cusd 5 · Waterloo, Illinois

Gardner Elementary School

Gardner Elementary School rates 7.0, below most Waterloo Cusd 5 elementary schools, whose rated median is 7.7.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
7.0this school

7.0 on a one-to-ten scale; the Waterloo Cusd 5 median is 7.7.

#1,458 of 3,814 schools in Illinois · Waterloo Cusd 5: 2 elementary schools rated, median 7.7

The brief

A Waterloo Cusd 5 elementary school where students score 4 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,458 of 3,814 schools in Illinois and 3 of 5 in Waterloo Cusd 5.

Gardner Elementary School is listed in Waterloo Cusd 5, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math61%22 points above the Illinois average of 39%2025 IAR
Reading69%16 points above the Illinois average of 53%2025 IAR
In 2025, 61% of students were proficient in math and 69% in reading, against Illinois averages of 39% and 53%.2025 IAR; 45 test records from IL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
7.3
50% of the rating
Academics
8.5
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
3.8
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 6 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 57% (multi-year average, 2010-2025) · reading/ELA 59% (multi-year average, 2010-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 IAR · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 IAR. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 IAR · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 IAR. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 62298; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2010-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Gardner Elementary School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$94,073
Median home value
$263,200
Median rent
$884/mo
College educated
35.2%
Homeownership
84.3%
Poverty rate
4.5%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 62298; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
46
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
32
Somewhat Bikeable

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
23.7%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Gardner Elementary School serve?

Gardner Elementary School serves students in grades 4th through 5th.

How many students attend Gardner Elementary School?

Gardner Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 384 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Gardner Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Gardner Elementary School is 16.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Gardner Elementary School rank in IL?

Gardner Elementary School ranks #1,458 of 3,814 schools in IL.

What is Gardner Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Gardner Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Gardner Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Gardner Elementary School has 57% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2010-2025) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2010-2025).

Is Gardner Elementary School a charter school?

No, Gardner Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Gardner Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Gardner Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Gardner Elementary School?

23.7% of students at Gardner Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
4th – 5th
Enrollment
384
Student-teacher ratio
16.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Monroe County
Rank in district
#3 of 5
Schools in district
5
District spending per student
$12,591
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
3.9%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 62298)
17,907
Area average commute
29.5 min
Area median age
43.6

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Illinois Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.