Has Elmhurst D205 Lost Students To Private Schools?

ELMHURST, IL – Parents around the suburbs moved their children to private schools during the pandemic shutdowns. Even an Elmhurst school board member acknowledged the trend.

While private schools may report enrollment increases, Elmhurst School District 205 has seen no noticeable loss.

In the year before the pandemic, 14.6 percent of Elmhurst's school-aged children attended private school. That edged up to 14.9 percent last school year, according to state data.

Many were frustrated with pandemic-era remote learning at local public schools, while their private counterparts continued in-person instruction.

As of last school year, 8,285 students were enrolled in District 205, while 1,447 were in private schools. Those numbers are similar to five years earlier.

The biggest private school draw for Elmhurst students is Immaculate Conception Catholic Grade School, which attracted 442 last year, more than 2019's 391, according to state numbers.

On the other hand, Visitation Catholic School, an elementary school, saw a drop to 325 Elmhurst students from 360 in 2019.

Timothy Christian, which serves elementary through high school students, enrolled 213 Elmhurst students last year, up from 169 five years earlier.

IC Catholic Prep, a local high school, also experienced a big hike in Elmhurst students. It reported 142 last year, up from 95.

Other big draws are Oak Park's Fenwick High School (93 Elmhurst students last year, 106 in 2019) and Elmhurst’s Immanuel Lutheran School (92 last year, 164 in 2019).

The state’s data depends on the private schools’ reporting.