The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in Math. The lowest is 33% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Bismarck-henning Elem School
Bismarck-Henning Elementary School is a small school serving a rural village near Danville in central Illinois, grades Pre-K through 4. The school draws from a stable but slowly declining community where most families own their homes and a notable share are retirees. The village itself sits on less than a square mile, organized along what was once a railroad corridor, with a residential character and minimal commercial district.
The school's recent state test results show uneven performance. In grade 3, about half the students met state proficiency in math, and in grade 4, roughly three in ten students reached that mark. In English language arts, the results are lower: about four in ten third graders and fewer than three in ten fourth graders achieved proficiency. State assessment data was not available for grades beyond 4, as this is an elementary building and higher grades are tested elsewhere in the district. All students who were tested participated fully.
The enrollment is small, consisting of roughly a few hundred students distributed across the grade levels served. The student population is predominantly white, with a small representation of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students and very few Asian students. The school does not report a specific free-or-reduced-price lunch count, and data on special education and English learner populations were not available.
When compared to other districts in Vermilion County, this school's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint, placing it in the middle range regionally. That said, the absolute performance numbers in both math and English language arts suggest a parent may want to look into further detail with the school about academic support, instruction, or any particular challenges students have faced.
The school sits within the Bismarck-Henning Community Unit School District, a small rural district serving three schools. Population in Bismarck has been flat to gently declining in recent years, and the school district enrollment has moved slightly downward as well. The broader region is anchored by the school district as a civic and employment anchor, alongside a relocated historic train depot housed in a county park and a relatively new village history museum. An aerosol manufacturing plant, now owned by a major food company, operates in neighboring Henning and serves as a regional employer.
Housing in the zip code is below the national median, with a home value around the low to mid-hundred-thousands. Monthly mortgage costs are modest, and rent is more affordable than the national average, making the area accessible to families on working incomes. The local economy includes some manufacturing and public employment, though most residents commute to jobs outside the village.
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