The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Benton Grade Sch 5-8
Benton Grade School serves grades five through eight in a small Southern Illinois city. The school sits on Forrest Street in Benton, the Franklin County seat, a place with a traditional downtown anchored by the courthouse square and a mix of residential neighborhoods built around a historically coal-and-rail economy. The enrollment is roughly mid-sized for its grade band, drawing students predominantly from Benton itself.
State test results show uneven performance across the grade levels and subjects tested. In English language arts, eighth graders stand out with strong proficiency, while earlier grades show more modest results, particularly in grade six where about half of students met the state benchmark. Math proficiency is weaker across the board; only grade eight reaches the upper thirties in proficiency, while grade six dips to the low twenties. Science proficiency at grade five sits in the mid-thirties, and grade eight reaches the low-to-mid fifties. Performance in the early grades, three and four, could not be assessed because state data was not reported for those grade levels, though the school serves them according to its directory listing. Test participation rates are high and consistent, indicating the school administered assessments widely to its student body.
Relative to other districts in Franklin County, this school's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint, placing it in solid middle ground among its county peers rather than at the top or bottom. The proficiency index reflects the school's strength in certain grades and subjects balanced against clear lower-performance areas.
Student demographics reflect a predominantly white enrollment of roughly ninety-five percent, with Hispanic students making up a small share and Asian students a handful. Free-and-reduced-price-lunch data and counts of students with disabilities or English learners were not reported. Special populations enrollment and economic disadvantage context therefore remain unavailable to parents.
Housing in the Benton zip code is affordable relative to the nation and the state, with home values well below the state median. Monthly mortgage payments remain modest at current rates, placing homeownership within reach for middle-income families. Rental housing costs are in line with national trends, and the local job market includes manufacturing, health care, and service employment, though employment declined slightly from 2023 to 2024.
The school sits within a town that has experienced population stagnation and mild decline over recent years, yet the city reports ongoing residential development including new subdivisions and mixed-income housing projects. Civic anchors include the public library, community park, and proximity to Rend Lake, a large reservoir offering recreation. The district office did not report recent curriculum shifts, major referendums, or policy changes with lasting parent-relevant impact within the past several years.
No comprehensive program offerings, staffing levels, course catalogs, or attendance and discipline data were available in the materials provided. Parents considering this school may want to ask the district directly about course options, specialized instruction, extracurricular offerings, and how the school supports students across the range of proficiency levels shown in the test data.
See more original research from School Decision →