Crow Island School is one of three elementary schools in Winnetka Public Schools District 36. It has a student population of 382 and teaches students from kindergarten through fourth grade. Average class sizes for all grades are less than 20, with kindergarten classes having an average of 15.5 students.
Crow Island School is home of the Pioneer Room, which all third-graders in the district visit as part of their studies. The room was part of the school's original design and has been maintained every since. Students spend a day in the Pioneer Room in small groups with a teacher. The room is a replica of an Illinois home from the 1840s. Students have a chance to churn butter, use slates and chalk, and wear pioneer costumes.
The school's design is often cited as a prime example of excellent school architecture. Lawrence Perkins, who headed the construction of the school, accepted the 25 Year Award from the American Institute of Architects in 1971. The award is very prestigious and has been bestowed to only one other architect. In 1975, Crow Island School received other architectural recognitions from the Illinois School Board Association and the American Association of School Administration and the American Library Association. The school was named a national historic landmark by the Department of the Interior in 1990.