Summary:
Zip code 31064, serving the Monticello area of Jasper County, is home to two elementary schools that together provide a complete PK-5 educational pathway for approximately 1,241 students.
Washington Park Elementary School (grades 3-5) is the clear academic leader in this area, and it is showing remarkable momentum. The school climbed from a 37th percentile ranking to the 50th percentile in a single year, earning its first 3-star rating. This improvement is driven by dramatic gains in 5th grade, where math proficiency jumped from 28.5% to 42.0% and science proficiency rose from 33.3% to 45.9% – with science now actually exceeding the state average. While math scores in 3rd and 4th grades trail state averages, the upward trajectory is encouraging. The school also boasts an impressively low chronic absenteeism rate of 9.4%, less than half the state average, despite 99% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. Jasper County Primary School (grades PK-2) serves as the foundation, with no standardized test data available for its youngest learners. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 15.3% is slightly higher than Washington Park's but still below the state average. Both schools maintain nearly identical student-teacher ratios around 12.4:1, and the district invests slightly more per student at the primary level ($14,786 vs. $13,821).
For parents, the key takeaway is that Washington Park is a school on the rise, particularly in upper elementary grades, with strong attendance and improving academics despite serving a predominantly low-income population. Jasper County Primary provides a solid early foundation with consistent staffing, though its slightly higher absenteeism among younger students may be worth monitoring. Together, these schools offer a complete elementary experience within a district that is showing positive momentum, with Washington Park's recent gains suggesting continued improvement may be on the horizon.
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