Tri Valley Cusd 3, IL - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Tri Valley Cusd 3

Tri Valley CUSD 3 is a consolidated district in McLean County serving from preschool through high school across a small, largely rural service area. The district has recently made substantial structural changes and secured major funding to reshape its facilities and mission.

The district's academic profile shows strength in early elementary grades, where English language arts proficiency is high across third and fourth grade. Math proficiency in those same grades reaches similar levels. Performance narrows noticeably beginning in fifth grade, particularly in math, where proficiency drops below the midpoint by middle school. English language arts holds better through middle grades, though it too declines through grades seven and eight. Science proficiency at fifth and eighth grade sits in the low-to-mid range. The district's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among McLean County districts, and its chronic absenteeism rate runs lower than the county median, suggesting engagement and attendance stability. State assessment data was not available for high school grades, and the four-year graduation rate is not reported in the district's data.

The student body is overwhelmingly white, with small Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial populations and even smaller numbers of Black and American Indian students. Free-and-reduced-price lunch counts and rates were not available, so a reader cannot assess economic need in the district from this data. Enrollment sits at just over a thousand students, with fairly even distribution across grades and a slight upward trend in middle school enrollment.

The district's per-pupil spending falls in the lower range compared to other McLean County districts, yet it has just secured substantial new resources. In April 2025, McLean County voters approved a county schools facilities sales tax effective July 1, 2025, which Tri-Valley has committed to using for facility improvements, mental health and school safety, and property tax relief, with one-third of revenue going directly to the latter. The district has already hired a School Resource Officer through a partnership with the McLean County Sheriff's Department as a direct result.

A major facilities transformation is already underway. In 2024, the district passed a bond referendum by a decisive margin, funded by community engagement, to reimagine the high school and expand the junior high into a grades 5-8 facility. A new five-classroom wing and unit office are being added to accommodate growing enrollment, a grade-configuration change that reshapes how students experience middle school. These are not routine updates; they represent a long-term structural and pedagogical shift that parents choosing the district should understand.

The housing market in the district's service area is moderately priced compared to state and national benchmarks, with weighted home values clustering in the mid-range and modest year-over-year appreciation. Rental housing data is sparse but suggests modest affordability for renters. The area is served by small towns and rural townships in central Illinois, with median household income above state levels.

The district is in a growth and reinvestment phase, backed by voter support and newly available tax revenue. For families prioritizing early elementary academics, engaged attendance, or lower operating cost, the district offers accessible options. The middle-grades proficiency dip and the absence of high school outcome data suggest that a parent might ask the district directly about approaches to middle school math, the high school's academic pathway options and any recent results, and how the new facilities and grade configuration may affect instruction and transition experiences.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,080

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 3%

Black 1%

White 91%

Asian 1%

Two+ 3%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

50%

—

Gr 7

46%

—

Gr 8

50%

—

Math

Gr 3

50%

—

Gr 7

31%

—

Gr 8

20%

—

Science

Gr 8

80%

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

Tri-Valley Middle School

Tri-Valley High School

Tri-Valley Elem School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

83%

Grade 3

80%

Grade 4

58%

Grade 5

68%

Grade 6

59%

Grade 7

42%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

89%

Grade 3

86%

Grade 4

76%

Grade 5

84%

Grade 6

71%

Grade 7

68%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

70%

Grade 5

72%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$283,603

Year-over-year change+4.0%

Range across 10 ZIP codes$170K to $381K

vs. state typical0.98x

vs. national typical0.77x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (10 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
61736	Downs	$317K	+3.5%	33.6%
61737	Ellsworth	$224K	+4.3%	31.7%
61705	Bloomington	$381K	+2.4%	20.2%
61730	Cooksville	$186K	+7.4%	5.6%
61752	Le Roy	$210K	+5.0%	4.0%
61722	Arrowsmith	$191K	+10.3%	2.7%
61745	Heyworth	$261K	+4.3%	1.3%
61728	Colfax	$170K	+5.8%	0.8%
61704	Bloomington	$323K	+2.1%	0.1%
61761	Normal	$265K	+0.9%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,505/mo

Year-over-year change+3.0%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,500 to $1,509/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
61704	Bloomington	$1,509	+5.4%	0.1%
61761	Normal	$1,500	+0.5%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,431/mo

Home price / national median income3.4x

Annual rent / national median income21.6%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$74/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$290,210 (+4.9% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.