Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to River Forest

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
River Forest (IL) Public LibraryPhoto: DFHoulihan · CC BY-SA 4.0
A+
Schools in River Forest · Oak Park and River Forest District 200, River Forest School District 90

River Forest’s public schools outscore 95% of Illinois districts

Math proficiency in River Forest’s districts is 55%, above the Illinois average (26%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving River Forest, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Illinois, not nationally.

#20of 768 Illinois townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Illinois state tests taken in spring 2021, when nearly all of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
60%
▲ 30 pts vs IL 30%
2020–21
Math proficiency
55%
▲ 29 pts vs IL 26%
2020–21
Graduate on time
95%
▲ 7 pts vs IL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$30.5K
▲ 41% vs IL $21.6K
FY2024 · Oak Park and River Forest District 200
Students per teacher
12.9
IL 13.6 · smaller classes
Schools in town
0
4,640 students on the public path
In brief

River Forest’s schools, in brief

River Forest runs its own schools through grade 8, then shares

Roosevelt School (5–8) is River Forest’s own. From grade 9, students attend the Oak Park and River Forest District 200 with Oak Park, Oak Park and River Forest: Oak Park & River Forest High Sch in Oak Park. The high school’s own results earn an A+, the highest on the path. See the path ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 60% and math 55% across both districts in spring 2021, against 30% and 26% statewide; 95% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Oak Park and River Forest District 200 spends $30,490 per student and River Forest School District 90 $24,979, against $21,567 across Illinois (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind River Forest’s grade

A+ Test scoresA− Graduation

A+: better than 95% of Illinois school districts, #20 of 768 Illinois towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the Illinois average; test scores are the stronger of the two.

Illinois school districts we grade (887)Better than 95%
Lower resultsHigher results
Illinois towns with similar household incomes (337)Better than 95%
AA+A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 1,771 test results and a graduating class of 831 could put River Forest anywhere from A to A+. The tests are from spring 2021, when nearly all of River Forest’s students in the tested grades sat them (1,710 in math, 1,833 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve River Forest, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–42 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressA to A+
5–8Roosevelt SchoolRiver Forest School District 90A+
9–12Oak Park & River Forest High Schin Oak ParkA+

River Forest runs its own schools through grade 8 (River Forest School District 90). From grade 9, students attend the Oak Park and River Forest District 200, shared with Oak Park, Oak Park and River Forest. Its elementary school is in River Forest. Parts of River Forest (3% and 3% of its land) are served by Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview School District 89 and Proviso Township High School District 209 instead. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve River Forest

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Oak Park and River Forest District 200Grades 9–12 · 1 schools · 3,307 students, down 4% since 2020–21 · 13.7 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$30,490IL $21,567 · FY2024
A
River Forest School District 90Grades PK–8 · 3 schools · 1,333 students, down 9% since 2020–21 · 11.4 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$24,979IL $21,567 · FY2024
A+
Test scores · 2020–21

Well above the state in reading

Reading · 9–12, Oak Park and River Forest District 20057%
State average 29.9% · 864 students tested
Math · 9–12, Oak Park and River Forest District 20052%
State average 25.8% · 793 students tested
Reading · PK–8, River Forest School District 9062%
State average 29.9% · 969 students tested
Math · PK–8, River Forest School District 9057%
State average 25.8% · 917 students tested

River Forest vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Illinois towns that share River Forest’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
River ForestA+River Forest School District 90 PK–8 · Oak Park and River Forest District 200 9–12
River Forest Township—River Forest School District 90 PK–8 · Oak Park and River Forest District 200 9–12
ProvisoCProviso Township High School District 209
MaywoodC−Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview School District 89 PK–8 · Proviso Township High School District 209 9–12
Melrose ParkC−Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview School District 89 PK–8 · Proviso Township High School District 209 9–12 · Leyden Community High School District 212 9–12
Forest ParkC+Forest Park School District 91 PK–8 · Proviso Township High School District 209 9–12

Every school in River Forest

4 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Illinois’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

Also serving River Forestin other towns
Lincoln Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–4
A+
381 students13:1Rate it →
Willard Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–4
A
327 students13:1Rate it →
Roosevelt School
Middle · Grades 5–8
A+
625 students10:1Rate it →
Oak Park & River Forest High Sch
High · Grades 9–12 · Oak Park
A+
3,307 students14:1Rate it →

Questions about River Forest’s schools

Are River Forest’s schools good?

By Illinois’s own tests, yes: the public schools River Forest children attend outscore 95% of Illinois’s school districts on tests and graduation, an A+ Schools grade, #20 of 768 Illinois towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 95%. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is River Forest in?

Two districts: River Forest School District 90 runs grades PK–8, and Oak Park and River Forest District 200 runs grades 9–12, shared with Oak Park, Oak Park and River Forest.

Where do River Forest kids go to high school?

Oak Park & River Forest High Sch in Oak Park, with 3,307 students; its own test results earn an A+.

What is River Forest’s graduation rate?

95% of the class of 2023 in Oak Park and River Forest District 200 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois.

How much does River Forest spend per student?

$30,490 in Oak Park and River Forest District 200 and $24,979 in River Forest School District 90 (FY2024), against $21,567 across Illinois. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What River Forest families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near River Forest → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2020–21, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Illinois. Stars are from neighbors.