The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in English language arts. The lowest is 51% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cowden-herrick Grade School
Cowden-Herrick Grade School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Herrick, a very small rural village in Shelby County, Illinois. The school enrolls a small group of students across its six grades, with the largest cohort in the youngest grades and a slight decline through fifth grade. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with minimal racial or ethnic diversity.
The school's academic profile reveals mixed performance across tested subjects and grades. In English language arts, third and fourth graders show solid proficiency, while fifth graders perform exceptionally well. Math proficiency declines notably as grades progress: third graders reach a reasonable proficiency level, but fourth and fifth graders show substantially lower proficiency. In the single science assessment available, fifth-grade proficiency sits at a moderate level. This pattern of stronger performance in the lower elementary grades and weaker performance in upper elementary warrants attention from parents. A parent may want to look into what support systems are in place for students as they move through fourth and fifth grade, particularly in mathematics.
The school is located at the civic center of Herrick itself, at a building that also houses the Herrick Township Public Library. This means the school functions as a community anchor alongside local library services. The wider district operates a separate junior and senior high school in the neighboring community of Cowden, so students transition out of this building after fifth grade.
Herrick's housing market reflects the rural, economically modest character of the region. Home values in the area sit well below the state and national benchmarks, and mortgage affordability is reasonable by national standards. The village itself is in long-term population decline with no major new development on the horizon. Employment opportunities beyond the school itself are limited, with the local bank branch serving as one of the few visible in-village employers. Most households own their homes rather than rent.
State testing data for free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, or English learner status was not provided. Income-support program data would help complete the picture of student need, but the available evidence suggests a small, stable, economically modest school population in a rural setting.
Compared to the four other districts in Shelby County, Cowden-Herrick Grade School ranks in the top quartile on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. This relative strength positions the school favorably within its immediate geographic peer group, though parents should interpret that standing in light of the math proficiency pattern noted above.
See more original research from School Decision →