The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 52% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Carlyle Elementary School
Carlyle Elementary School serves pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in the small county-seat city of Carlyle in Clinton County. The school is a regular public school with an enrollment of around a modest size for its grade band, distributed fairly evenly across the grades with the largest classes in the lower-primary grades.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller representations of other racial and ethnic groups. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and special education and English learner enrollment were not available. The school sits within or near the central grid of Carlyle's downtown, where civic life centers on the courthouse square and the school is accessible to families throughout the compact town.
On state assessments administered in spring 2025, the school's results show a mixed profile. In grade three, proficiency on both mathematics and English language arts hovered just above four in ten students meeting or exceeding state standards. Grade four performance was notably stronger, with roughly two-thirds of students proficient in ELA and about three-fifths proficient in mathematics. The school achieved full test participation in all reported grades. Scores from grades five and higher were not reported, as the school does not serve those grades.
Within the county's set of districts, Carlyle Elementary's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint. Parents may want to look into further what supports and instruction the school has in place to strengthen early math skills, particularly in the third-grade cohort, and what trajectory the school sees in the progression from third to fourth grade performance.
Carlyle CUSD 1, the district serving the school, recently completed a multi-year facilities upgrade, with Grade School improvements finished in summer 2024. This work has delivered updated learning environments in the building where Carlyle Elementary students spend their days.
The town itself offers a traditional small-town setting with a walkable downtown core, local civic anchors including the courthouse and the Case-Halstead Public Library, and access to Carlyle Lake, Illinois's largest man-made lake. Population growth has been modest to flat, though the city is actively recruiting new residential construction through incentive programs and platted subdivisions. Housing is affordable relative to state and national medians, making the area accessible to families seeking a rural or small-town character with reasonable property costs.
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