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GreatSchools Rating

John Nelson Elementary School

Public | K-5 | 491 students

Last modified
Community Rating

3 stars

Community Rating by Year
2013:
No new ratings
2012:
No new ratings
2011:
Based on 1 rating
2010:
No new ratings

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4 reviews of this school


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Posted August 22, 2011

I was so displeased with this school. My daughter attended for 1st and 2nd grade. I didn't have many issues the first year, but the second year was a disaster. The school did not communicate issues with my child with me at all! My daughter had behavioral issues due to issues she was going through at the time and rather than working with me to correct them, the school would punish her and not tell me a word and then put notes on her report card about how I needed to discipline her. How could I when I had no idea a problem existed? They had her visit a school psychiatrist without my knowledge and only contacted me when things she said appeared "questionable". I requested that ANY time her behavior was an issue, to call me IMMEDIATELY so I could work with them and make sure she was dealt with at home. The ONLY time they called me was when they decided to suspend her and when they did so they lectured me as if I was a terrible and careless parent. Hello! I had no idea she was doing anything wrong at school because THEY NEVER CALLED ME!!!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted September 26, 2007

I wish they had after school activities and parents would get more involed because it is their children. I beleive academics are good but it takes teachers who do a very good job and parents who need to get more involved with what their children are doing in the classroom and bringing home.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted August 10, 2006

I think Rockford Schools are in such shambles. I agree, the schools are more concerned with damage control than teaching. It completely takes away from the learning environment. Even Illinois states averages are low in comparison to other states.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted June 3, 2004

I took my child out of this school to home school her. They were going to send her into the 4th grade, even though according to her report card, she was at a 2nd grade level on most subjects. Before attending Rockford Schools, she was in 1st grade in an Arkansas school. After we moved here to Rockford, it appears to us that her going to school here was a complete waste of time. She didn't learn much and what she did learn, we ended up teaching her night after night when she came home from school. From what I saw, most of the teachers work is damage control, not educating.
—Submitted by a parent


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Math

The state average for Math was 88% in 2012.

247 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
82%

2011

 
 
73%

2010

 
 
81%

2009

 
 
82%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 76% in 2012.

246 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
59%

2011

 
 
49%

2010

 
 
50%

2009

 
 
40%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Illinois used the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) to test students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math, and in grades 4 and 7 in science. The ISAT is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Illinois. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Illinois' state standards

Source: Illinois State Board of Education

Math

The state average for Math was 88% in 2012.

247 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
80%

2011

 
 
74%

2010

 
 
67%

2009

 
 
78%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 76% in 2012.

246 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
52%

2011

 
 
43%

2010

 
 
44%

2009

 
 
51%
Science

The state average for Science was 80% in 2012.

84 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
52%

2011

 
 
59%

2010

 
 
54%

2009

 
 
56%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Illinois used the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) to test students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math, and in grades 4 and 7 in science. The ISAT is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Illinois. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Illinois' state standards

Source: Illinois State Board of Education

Math

The state average for Math was 84% in 2012.

247 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
70%

2011

 
 
71%

2010

 
 
79%

2009

 
 
68%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 78% in 2012.

246 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
49%

2011

 
 
52%

2010

 
 
44%

2009

 
 
57%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Illinois used the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) to test students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math, and in grades 4 and 7 in science. The ISAT is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Illinois. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Illinois' state standards

Source: Illinois State Board of Education

Math

All Students82%
Female76%
Male90%
Blackn/a
Asiann/a
Hispanic88%
Multiracialn/a
White74%
Low income84%
Non-low incomen/a
Students with disabilities (IEP)n/a
Students without disabilities84%
English language learners90%
Migrantn/a

Reading

All Students59%
Female58%
Male60%
Blackn/a
Asiann/a
Hispanic59%
Multiracialn/a
White61%
Low income60%
Non-low incomen/a
Students with disabilities (IEP)n/a
Students without disabilities61%
English language learners55%
Migrantn/a
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Illinois used the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) to test students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math, and in grades 4 and 7 in science. The ISAT is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Illinois. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Illinois State Board of Education. If there are a small number of students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Illinois' state standards

Source: Illinois State Board of Education

Math

All Students80%
Female83%
Male76%
Black58%
Asiann/a
Hispanic85%
Multiracialn/a
White88%
Low income80%
Non-low incomen/a
Students with disabilities (IEP)n/a
Students without disabilities81%
English language learners84%

Reading

All Students52%
Female67%
Male34%
Black37%
Asiann/a
Hispanic51%
Multiracialn/a
White72%
Low income51%
Non-low incomen/a
Students with disabilities (IEP)n/a
Students without disabilities56%
English language learners34%

Science

All Students52%
Female59%
Male45%
Black37%
Asiann/a
Hispanic51%
Multiracialn/a
White78%
Low income51%
Non-low incomen/a
Students with disabilities (IEP)n/a
Students without disabilitiesn/a
English language learners38%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Illinois used the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) to test students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math, and in grades 4 and 7 in science. The ISAT is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Illinois. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Illinois State Board of Education. If there are a small number of students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Illinois' state standards

Source: Illinois State Board of Education

Math

All Students70%
Female84%
Male58%
Black71%
Asiann/a
Hispanic75%
Multiracialn/a
Native Americann/a
White55%
Low income70%
Non-low incomen/a
Students with disabilities (IEP)33%
Students without disabilities79%
English language learners77%
Migrantn/a

Reading

All Students49%
Female62%
Male38%
Black57%
Asiann/a
Hispanic50%
Multiracialn/a
Native Americann/a
White40%
Low income49%
Non-low incomen/a
Students with disabilities (IEP)7%
Students without disabilities60%
English language learners32%
Migrantn/a
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Illinois used the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) to test students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math, and in grades 4 and 7 in science. The ISAT is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Illinois. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Illinois State Board of Education. If there are a small number of students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Illinois' state standards

Source: Illinois State Board of Education

Breaking down the GreatSchools Rating

GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »


Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
Hispanic 61% 21%
White 23% 53%
Black 14% 19%
Asian/Pacific Islander 2% 4%
American Indian/Alaska Native 0% 0%
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 18N/A17
Source: NCES, 2008-2009
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!

623 15th St
Rockford, IL 61104
Phone: (815) 229-2190

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