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Thomas Paine Elementary School

Public Grades K-5

1909^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,056 Illinois Elementary Schools

Better than 7% of Illinois elementary schools

Summary

Thomas Paine Elementary School is a public elementary school in Urbana, Illinois, serving 362 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Urbana School District 116, which is ranked 786 out of 811 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Thomas Paine Elementary School consistently underperforms compared to state and district averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 16.3% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 20.9% in the Urbana School District and 53.1% statewide. In Mathematics, the school's proficiency rate was just 10.6%, compared to 14.3% in the district and 38.5% statewide. The school also has a very high chronic absenteeism rate of 42.2%, significantly higher than the state average. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, ranking in the bottom 10% of Illinois elementary schools for African American students, White students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

When comparing Leal Elementary School, which is just 1.59 miles away, it becomes clear that Thomas Paine Elementary School is an outlier in terms of academic performance. Leal Elementary has significantly higher proficiency rates in both ELA and Mathematics, as well as a lower chronic absenteeism rate. The high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (69.89% in 2023-2024) at Thomas Paine Elementary School may be a contributing factor to the school's overall academic struggles, though this does not necessarily imply a correlation with the school's racial makeup. Addressing the root causes of the school's challenges, such as attendance and socioeconomic factors, could be crucial in improving academic outcomes for the students of Urbana School District 116.

324

Students ?

9.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,386

Per pupil spending ?

71.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1801 James Cherry Dr
Urbana, IL 61802-5584

(217) 384-3602

District: Urbana School District 116

Students who attend Thomas Paine Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Urbana Middle School
High:	Urbana High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

44.8%

White:

27.5%

Two or more races:

14.5%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Thomas Paine Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 36th percentile in 2015 → 7th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Illinois average (16% vs 44% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (7th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (42% vs 25% Illinois)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school16%

District avg20%

Illinois avg44%

1,909^th of 2,056

Illinois public elementary schools ?

Bottom 7%▼ down 29 pts since 2015

From bottom 36% (2015) to bottom 7% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 4Elementary Schools in the Urbana School District 116

786^th of 811Urbana School District 116 among Illinois districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	11.0	1909 of 2056	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	13.6	1912 of 2067	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	18.7	1723 of 2077	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.6	1478 of 2082	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	15.6	1728 of 1948	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.0	1450 of 2086	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.4	1262 of 2037	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2017	44.1	1070 of 2044	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2016	36.9	1244 of 2046	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2015	33.7	1304 of 2052	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2014	35.0	1426 of 2093	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	27.8	1634 of 2167	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	32.5	1634 of 2166	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	50.5	1272 of 2147	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	55.5	1155 of 2139	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	47.4	1332 of 2120	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	59.8	1044 of 2092	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2007	46.2	1393 of 2095	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	39.2	1522 of 2086	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	55.5	1111 of 2022	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2004	35.2	1493 of 2030	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	36.3	1453 of 2020	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	13.6	677 of 688	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	20.1	625 of 655	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	22.9	627 of 692	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	35.0	427 of 684	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	30.7	521 of 711	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	51.8	251 of 698	64.0%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	30.2	725 of 1049	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	25.7	712 of 886	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.2	562 of 907	38.0%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	12.9	1772 of 1942	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	17.0	1682 of 1942	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	12.9	1842 of 1957	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	21.1	1561 of 1970	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	27.3	1485 of 2019	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	34.0	1284 of 1964	34.6%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	9.7	1765 of 1800	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.9	1786 of 1793	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	14.5	1754 of 1808	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	28.9	1318 of 1763	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	15.0	1506 of 1514	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	26.6	1468 of 1816	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	33.1	1236 of 1765	30.0%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	9.2	1867 of 1947	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	12.5	1865 of 1959	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	25.5	1440 of 1984	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.9	1289 of 1977	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	10.7	1702 of 1707	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	33.8	1309 of 2019	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.5	1129 of 1972	42.7%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	12.1	107 of 120	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	22.2	1051 of 1292	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.2	1043 of 1195	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.7	847 of 1156	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.0	654 of 1113	41.2%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	11.7	1301 of 1389	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.6	1364 of 1392	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	11.2	1348 of 1419	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	25.3	1143 of 1425	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	8.2	1283 of 1308	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	26.5	1134 of 1462	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.4	1028 of 1463	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Disabled (2025)31st percentile+24 vs school

Special Education (2025)19th percentile+12 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)11th percentile+4 vs school

Female (2025)9th percentile~ school

White (2025)6th percentile~ school

Male (2025)4th percentile-3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)2nd percentile-5 vs school

African American (2025)2nd percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

Science21%-19 vs state

English Language Arts16%-37 vs state

Mathematics11%-28 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, May 22, 2015

Both of my kids have gone to Thomas Paine Elementary School and it's been a great experience! They have such wonderful and caring staff and a very involved PTA. Close Quote

Schools Near Thomas Paine Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ISA Science (2025)	IAR English Language Arts (2025)				IAR Mathematics (2025)				% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% DTP (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISA Science 5th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 3rd Grade	IAR English Language Arts 4th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 5th Grade	IAR English Language Arts All Grades	IAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	IAR Mathematics 4th Grade	IAR Mathematics 5th Grade	IAR Mathematics All Grades	% Polio All Grades	% Measles All Grades	% Mumps All Grades	% Rubella All Grades	% Hepatitis B All Grades	% Varicella All Grades	% DTP All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Thomas Paine Elementary School	Public	K-5	1801 James Cherry Dr	Urbana	61802	Champaign County	Urbana School District 116	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 384-3602	324	35	9.2	71.9%	89 (27.5%)	145 (44.8%)	26 (8.0%)	13 (4.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (14.5%)	11	1909^th of 2056 public elementary schools	7.1%		13.6	1912^th of 2067 public elementary schools	7.5%	3	21.2	10.2	18.8	20.8	16.3	10.2	16.7	5.7	10.6	98.7	98.7	98.7	98.7	100.0	98.7	98.7	$17,386	$1,686	$15,700
Dr Preston L Williams Junior Elementary School	Public	K-5	2102 E Washington St	Urbana	61802	Champaign County	Urbana School District 116	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 384-3628	399	32	12.6	88.5%	61 (15.3%)	258 (64.7%)	16 (4.0%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	59 (14.8%)	6.2	2036^th of 2056 public elementary schools	1.0%		10.2	2031^st of 2067 public elementary schools	1.7%	5	13.8	12.1	6.2	6.2	8.2	12.3	1.5	1.5	5.1	99.0	99.8	99.8	99.8	100.0	99.4	99.2	$17,372	$2,055	$15,317
Yankee Ridge Multilingual School	Public	K-5	2102 S Anderson St	Urbana	61801	Champaign County	Urbana School District 116	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(217) 384-3608	482	35	13.8	62.9%	84 (17.4%)	58 (12.0%)	321 (66.6%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.1%)								(n/a)
Leal Elementary School	Public	K-5	312 W Oregon St	Urbana	61801	Champaign County	Urbana School District 116	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 384-3618	373	28	13.3	59.5%	145 (38.9%)	118 (31.6%)	29 (7.8%)	22 (5.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (14.7%)	39.7	1220^th of 2056 public elementary schools	40.7%		46.4	1012^th of 2067 public elementary schools	51.0%	208	46.9	36.6	35.2	45.3	39.2	35.2	30.9	29.7	32.1	99.2	99.5	99.5	99.5	100.0	97.9	98.7	$15,524	$1,950	$13,574
M L King Junior Elementary School	Public	K-5	1108 Fairview Ave	Urbana	61801	Champaign County	Urbana School District 116	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 384-3675	322	25	12.8	85.1%	40 (12.4%)	178 (55.3%)	22 (6.8%)	61 (18.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.5%)	7.6	2011^th of 2056 public elementary schools	2.2%		11.8	1984^th of 2067 public elementary schools	4.0%	27	9.4	13.0	11.5	13.0	12.5	19.6	5.8	3.7	9.2	98.7	98.4	98.4	98.4	100.0	96.1	98.1	$16,597	$1,776	$14,820
Washington Elementary School	Public	K-5	606 E Grove St	Champaign	61820	Champaign County	Champaign CUSD 4	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 351-3901	265	14	19.6	75.8%	31 (11.7%)	176 (66.4%)	25 (9.4%)	17 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.0%)	11	1910^th of 2056 public elementary schools	7.1%		13.5	1918^th of 2067 public elementary schools	7.2%	8	16.3	14.6	23.7	16.3	18.0	14.3	15.4	7.0	12.1	96.0	96.0	96.0	96.0	97.1	96.0	95.7	$17,658	$1,515	$16,142
Stratton Elementary School	Public	K-5	902 N Randolph St	Champaign	61820	Champaign County	Champaign CUSD 4	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 373-7330	454	32	14.4	75.6%	38 (8.4%)	309 (68.1%)	70 (15.4%)	22 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.3%)	14.5	1801^st of 2056 public elementary schools	12.4%		22.5	1609^th of 2067 public elementary schools	22.2%	192	14.1	15.4	28.8	16.7	20.1	20.9	25.8	10.1	18.4	97.4	98.4	98.4	98.4	100.0	97.9	97.4	$17,559	$1,025	$16,534
South Side Elementary School	Public	K-5	715 S New St	Champaign	61820	Champaign County	Champaign CUSD 4	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 351-3890	307	21	14.6	42.7%	142 (46.3%)	73 (23.8%)	34 (11.1%)	20 (6.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	36 (11.7%)	67.8	647^th of 2056 public elementary schools	68.5%		69.7	556^th of 2067 public elementary schools	73.1%	91	33.3	69.4	61.2	44.7	58.6	79.6	61.2	40.4	60.7	97.6	97.6	97.6	97.6	97.6	97.6	97.6	$15,942	$340	$15,602
Bottenfield Elementary School	Public	K-5	1801 S Prospect Ave	Champaign	61820	Champaign County	Champaign CUSD 4	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 351-3807	456	31	14.8	46.9%	171 (37.5%)	145 (31.8%)	34 (7.5%)	55 (12.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (11.0%)	45.4	1101^st of 2056 public elementary schools	46.4%		55.5	810^th of 2067 public elementary schools	60.8%	291	36.3	53.1	38.4	36.3	41.7	59.4	31.5	28.6	38.2	96.6	96.4	96.4	96.4	100.0	96.2	96.6	$14,823	$863	$13,960
Carrie Busey Elementary School	Public	K-5	304 Prairie Rose Ln	Savoy	61874	Champaign County	Champaign CUSD 4	No	(n/a)	No	No	(217) 351-3811	444	31	14.2	42.1%	182 (41.0%)	97 (21.8%)	36 (8.1%)	70 (15.8%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	55 (12.4%)	62.7	749^th of 2056 public elementary schools	63.6%		59	750^th of 2067 public elementary schools	63.7%	1	41.1	54.8	50.0	61.6	55.6	46.6	50.0	50.7	49.1	99.3	99.3	99.3	99.3	99.3	99.3	99.3	$16,663	$571	$16,093

Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Paine Elementary School

Is Thomas Paine Elementary School a good school?

Thomas Paine Elementary School ranks in the bottom 7.1% of Illinois elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Thomas Paine Elementary School?

Students at Thomas Paine Elementary School are 45% African American, 27% White, 15% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 4% Asian.

How many students attend Thomas Paine Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 324 students attended Thomas Paine Elementary School.

What district is Thomas Paine Elementary School in?

Urbana School District 116

What schools do graduates of Thomas Paine Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Thomas Paine Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Urbana Middle School
High : Urbana High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.