Summary:
The 62618 zip code area is home to two elementary schools, Gard Elementary School and Grand Ave School, both of which are part of the Beardstown CUSD 15 district. Unfortunately, the data indicates that these schools are struggling, with low academic performance and high rates of economically disadvantaged students.
Both Gard Elementary School and Grand Ave School have very low proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics, well below the state averages. Gard Elementary School, in particular, has seen a decline in performance over the past few years, with only 12.3% of students proficient or better in ELA in 2024-2025. The schools also have high percentages of free/reduced lunch recipients, at 73.16% and 54.97% respectively, which is often associated with lower academic achievement.
Despite the higher spending per student at both schools, the data suggests that the district and schools are struggling to effectively allocate resources to support student learning. The Beardstown CUSD 15 district is ranked 785 out of 811 districts in Illinois and is rated 0 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger, indicating that the poor performance of the district as a whole is likely having a significant impact on the individual schools within it. Addressing the challenges faced by these elementary schools will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improve the educational outcomes for the students in this community.
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