The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in English language arts. The lowest is 17% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on West Elementary School
West Elementary School serves grades two through five in Alton, a Mississippi River city undergoing downtown revitalization. The school sits within Alton CUSD 11, which is currently in the early-to-middle years of a multi-year District Improvement Plan called Reimagine Alton that is reshaping curriculum, school culture, and educator support across the district through 2026 and beyond. For families considering the school, understanding that the district is in active planning mode—with community input sessions running through the current school year and a major policy report to the Board of Education due in June—is relevant context for how priorities and programs may shift in the near term.
West Elementary enrolls a diverse student body. The school's composition is approximately half white, with a substantial Black enrollment, a meaningful population of students identifying as two or more races, and smaller Hispanic, Asian, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander populations. The school carries no Title I designation based on available data, though data on free- and reduced-price lunch eligibility and English learner and special education enrollment counts are not currently available. Total enrollment sits at a level typical for an urban elementary school serving these grades.
Academic performance on the most recent state assessment results shows proficiency rates that fall well below what would be expected at comparable schools. In math, third-grade students achieved proficiency at roughly one in four, fourth grade at similar rates, and fifth grade at roughly one in five. English language arts proficiency is similarly low across these grades, ranging from roughly one in five in third grade to just under one in three in fifth grade. A single fifth-grade science result showed proficiency at roughly one in six. These results position West Elementary in the bottom quartile among Madison County's elementary and middle schools when proficiency is measured across tested subjects and grades. A parent may want to look into further with the school what instructional shifts, support services, or curriculum changes are underway to address these outcomes, particularly as they relate to the district's broader Reimagine Alton initiative.
It is worth noting that Illinois revised its proficiency cut scores on the state assessment in the most recent school year, which can affect year-to-year comparisons and makes historical trend analysis less reliable. The school's participation rates in testing were strong, at or very close to universal across the grades tested.
Alton itself is a city in transition. Downtown is undergoing active revitalization led by AltonWorks, a redevelopment organization. Recent and planned projects include coworking space, renovated apartment complexes, and new downtown housing intended to strengthen walkability and community life in the historic core. The city hosts Riverfront Park and the Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater, the multimodal rail and bus station that opened in 2024, and the three-branch Hayner Public Library. Neighborhoods immediately around West Elementary tend to be older residential blocks with 19th- and early 20th-century homes; more suburban subdivisions exist farther from the downtown. Housing values are modest relative to national benchmarks, and rental costs are proportionally lower than mortgage costs, suggesting rental housing may be accessible for families seeking entry into the market or preferring not to buy.
Employment in the region centers on health care, retail, hospitality, and manufacturing, with major employers including the school district, Alton Memorial Hospital, OSF Saint Anthony's Health Center, Argosy Casino, and nearby refineries and industrial plants. The local unemployment rate is stable, and median household income is solidly middle-class. Property taxes do rise periodically; the district held a Truth in Taxation hearing in 2023 regarding the levy.
West Elementary is a regular public elementary school with no charter or magnet status. It is embedded in a district actively inviting community input on its future direction. Parents considering this school should understand that current academic results are well below district and county peer benchmarks, that the district is in the middle of a multi-year instructional planning cycle, and that specific details about academic support, staffing, or program changes would be worth discussing directly with the school as that planning progresses.
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