The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in English language arts. The lowest is 23% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Okaw Valley Elementary School
Okaw Valley Elementary School serves children from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in Bethany, a small rural village in Moultrie County. The school sits on North Washington Street near the village center, within walking distance of Bethany's modest civic core.
The school is small, with an enrollment spanning just under two hundred students across six grades. The student body is predominantly white, with very few students of other racial or ethnic backgrounds. No data was available on the share of students receiving free or reduced-price meals, on students receiving special education services, or on English learners, so a parent may want to inquire directly about the school's support systems for those populations.
State testing results from the most recent year show proficiency below what the school serves as grade band would suggest is strong. In third grade, roughly one in five students scored at proficiency in math, and about one in three in English language arts. In fourth grade, one in four students met proficiency in math and one in three in ELA. These are low attainment figures. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the other districts in Moultrie County. A parent interested in understanding where these results come from and what instructional supports are in place would want to speak directly with school leadership.
Bethany itself is a village in a rural, agricultural region where corn and soybeans form the economic backbone. The community has been stable but has experienced modest population decline over the past few decades. Most residents own their homes. Housing values are moderate relative to the state median. The village is car-dependent, sitting along a state highway, and has no public transit.
The district is currently undertaking a phased facilities revitalization. A previous phase funded an agriculture building, science labs, track, and athletic facilities. Voters were asked in April on a bond referendum to fund a new gymnasium addition at the high school, a new entryway at the middle school, and new playground equipment at the elementary school. Whether that measure passed is not confirmed in available sources. That the district felt able to self-fund earlier phases suggests some fiscal stability, though families should understand the property tax implications if future bonds are issued.
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