The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Science. The lowest is 22% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Henry-senachwine Grade School
Henry-Senachwine Grade School serves early grades through eighth grade in Henry, a small Illinois River town in Marshall County. The school enrolls a modest population, with roughly equivalent numbers of students spread across pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, alongside a notably older and stable residential population in the town itself. The student body is predominantly white, with very small numbers of students from other backgrounds.
State testing data from 2024-25 shows a pattern worth understanding clearly. In English language arts, the school's results are mixed by grade. Third and fourth graders perform better, with roughly half to three-fifths meeting proficiency. Fifth graders hold around the midpoint. Sixth grade drops to about a third. Seventh and eighth graders recover somewhat, clustering around the mid-to-upper 40s. Math proficiency is lower across the board. Grades three and four hold in the mid-30s, but fifth grade falls to below one-quarter, sixth grade drops to single digits, seventh grade is around one-fifth, and eighth grade sits at roughly one-tenth. Science testing occurs only in fifth and eighth grade; fifth graders achieve about two-fifths proficiency, while eighth graders perform notably better at just over half. A parent may want to look into further what instructional or staffing shifts happen between fourth and fifth grade, since math proficiency drops sharply, and what is different in the eighth-grade science program that produces stronger results there.
The school's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint when compared to the other districts in Marshall County, meaning it is performing better than the lower half of the county's school systems, though not at the top. All students tested participated in assessments at full or near-full rates.
Housing in the Henry area is modestly priced relative to state and national benchmarks, with monthly mortgage estimates below the national average. The community is not growing; population has declined steadily over recent years, and the town has minimal new construction. Most residents own homes rather than rent, and many are retirees. The workforce is built on manufacturing and construction trades. The defining civic feature is the Illinois River frontage and the historic lock-and-dam, which anchors Central Park and community gatherings. The public library serves the town from the downtown riverfront area. The schools sit a short distance from downtown on the western edge, making them walkable from the residential neighborhoods but separate from the commercial core.
At the district level, a significant change is underway. The Henry-Senachwine High School is receiving a new academic wing addition, gym, auditorium, and media center renovation, funded without a referendum vote but scheduled for completion in fall 2026. This capital project will raise property taxes for families in the district, something to factor into any long-term housing and education planning.
The grade school itself carries no Title I designation, so families should understand that federal poverty-assistance funding does not flow to it. Free and reduced-price lunch data were not available, so a parent interested in that support structure should ask the school directly. Special education and English learner population counts were also not provided; families with students needing those services would want to contact the school about scope and staffing. Overall, this is a small-town school with uneven academic performance across subjects and grades, modest resources relative to larger systems, and a community facing slow population loss.
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