Community

Community Consolidated School District 21 is located in the northwest corner of Cook County, with about 25 square miles that includes parts of the communities of Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, Northbrook, and unincorporated Cook County. About 6,200 students attend District 21 schools. The estimated population of the region is about 135,000 with a wide range of cultures and income levels.

The ethnic make-up, based on State defined terminology, of District 21’s students and families is about 32% White, 2% Black, 54% Hispanic, 9% Asian, 1% Native American, and 3% Multi-Racial/Ethnic (does not equal 100% due to rounding). About 46% of the families are classified as low income, with 50% of the students identified as English Language Learner (ELL) students. More than 65 languages are spoken in the homes of District 21 families.

School District 21 operates on a budget of more than $110 million, with an annual operating expenditure per pupil of over $17,000. Approximately 80% of the teachers have earned a Master’s degree.

School District 21 includes Hawthorne Early Childhood School, with additional early childhood (pre-kindergarten) classrooms located within some of our elementary school buildings. There are nine kindergarten through fifth grade elementary schools, which primarily serve students located within a specific geographic location. There are three middle schools, each of which serves incoming students from three elementary schools. All schools utilize the District 21 Curriculum. Students’ academic learning focuses on reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social science. Additionally, students also learn and are assessed on their progress with the Learner Qualities, essential skills necessary for success in our global society and technology-based world. In addition to the core curriculum, elementary school students participate in Art, Music, Physical Education, and Research & Information Literacy classes. Middle school students participate in a range of exploratory classes that include: Physical Education, Art, Drama, Music, Career & Community Connections, Global Awareness, Design and Innovation, Spanish and/or Spanish for Spanish Speakers.

All District 21 schools have School Improvement Plans (SIP) in place. These are reviewed and modified annually by each school’s School Improvement Team, which includes the school principal and a range of teachers. The School Improvement Plans are designed to focus on improvement in the following areas related to our Strategic Plan.