The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in Math. The lowest is 52% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Midland Elementary School
Midland Elementary School serves prekindergarten through fourth grade in Lacon, a small riverside county seat in central Illinois, about a half hour north of Peoria. The school enrolls a modest roster of students across six grade levels, with the largest cohort in second grade and smaller numbers in the earliest years. The student body is predominantly white, with small numbers of students from other backgrounds including Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial families. No data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility or English learner status was available.
On the most recent state assessment, Midland Elementary's results are mixed. Third-grade math proficiency reached roughly two-thirds of students meeting or exceeding state standards, a solid showing. Third-grade English language arts fell to about half of students proficient. Fourth grade shows steeper challenges: math proficiency drops to under half of students, and ELA holds at about half. State testing results for grades beyond fourth grade and prior years were not provided, as the school serves only through fourth grade. The most recent assessment cycle changed how Illinois scores are calculated, so multi-year trend data cannot be reliably computed from these results alone. A parent may want to ask the school directly about how these results compare to prior years and what support is in place for students not yet meeting standards, particularly in fourth-grade math.
Among the county's two school districts reporting comparable data, Midland Elementary's overall proficiency index places it well above the median. This is an important note given that the school's fourth-grade math results are below the county's district averages, suggesting that performance varies meaningfully by grade.
Lacon itself is a town of modest and slowly declining population, with a blue-collar character rooted in grain agriculture, barge loading on the nearby Illinois River, healthcare, and manufacturing. The housing market shows pre-World War II stock as the norm, with limited recent new construction. The median home price has appreciated modestly year over year, and mortgage-rate affordability remains manageable relative to county and state benchmarks. The town has a functional downtown centered on the historic courthouse square, a renovated riverfront, and a small public library. There is no public bus system; daily life relies on personal vehicles.
Midland CUSD 7 also encompasses Sparland and Varna. No recent major district-level changes such as referenda, tax shifts, or consolidation were found in publicly available sources, suggesting relative operational stability.
This is a straightforward neighborhood elementary school in a stable small-town setting. The third-grade proficiency in math is an asset; fourth-grade results warrant conversation with the school about instructional approach and available interventions. Families choosing this school should expect a rural-to-small-city environment, a predominantly white peer population, and schools serving populations typical of central Illinois farming and manufacturing communities. The school's small enrollment size is characteristic of its place.
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