Harper Elem School

Harper Elementary School serves 370 students in kindergarten through fourth grade in Wilmette, Illinois. With a student-teacher ratio of 12.8:1, classes stay small, giving students consistent access to instruction and support. The school earns a composite score of 9.8 out of 10, rated Exceptional, with a 9.7 in academics and a standout 9.9 in growth.

That growth score reflects how much students advance year over year — one of the strongest signals of day-to-day teaching quality. Harper ranks #1 among the 7 public schools in Wilmette and sits at #8 out of 2,326 elementary schools statewide, placing it among the top performers in Illinois by a wide margin. The numbers hold up at the state level too.

Harper ranks 9th out of 3,813 public schools across Illinois, outperforming 100% of schools in the state. For parents comparing elementary options in the northern suburbs, Harper's combination of small class sizes, exceptional academic scores, and elite growth metrics puts it in a category very few Illinois schools reach. It is a regular public school, meaning enrollment follows standard district assignment.