American Dreamer Stem Academy, Decatur IL

Original Research by School Decision on American Dreamer Stem Academy

American Dreamer STEM Academy is a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade public school in Decatur, Illinois, enrolling roughly four hundred students. The school is substantially Black, with a smaller White population and a very small Hispanic enrollment. Demographic breakdowns by income or special-education status were not available in the data.

The academic results are the most significant point for families considering this school. State testing data from 2024-25 shows proficiency rates well below what would be typical for Illinois schools. In mathematics, proficiency ranges from near zero in seventh grade to roughly one in eight in third grade. English language arts performance is similarly weak, with proficiency below one in five across most grades and rising to roughly one in three in eighth grade. Science results from fifth and eighth grades show proficiency around one in seven to one in five. These are not borderline results; they represent very low achievement across the board, and the school sits in the bottom quartile of proficiency when compared to other school districts in Macon County.

The school has achieved full participation in state testing, meaning students are taking the assessments, so the results reflect actual performance rather than a testing gap. The causes of such low proficiency would benefit from conversation directly with school leadership. A parent should reach out to understand what instructional changes are underway, whether the school has undertaken a curriculum review, what support systems are in place for students struggling with core academics, and what the pathway has been for those low scores.

The school's enrollment is stable across its grade levels, with between roughly thirty and forty-seven students per grade. The physical location is on South Taylor Road in Decatur. The school name references STEM, though specific course or program detail beyond that designation was not available in the data provided.

Decatur itself is a mid-sized central Illinois city centered on agricultural commodity processing, home to Archer Daniels Midland and other grain-handling operations. Downtown holds a historic walkable core around Merchant Street with parks, shops, and civic events, though the broader city is auto-oriented residential sprawl. Population has declined gradually in recent years, but the city has pursued downtown revitalization. A major new housing project, the Village at Legacy, began construction in 2024 and should add units through 2025. Housing values in the area are below both state and national medians, and rents are correspondingly modest, making Decatur relatively affordable.

The district overall has made two significant changes that shape the experience. As of 2024-25, Decatur Public Schools requires all students to store phones, ear buds, smart watches, and tablets in locked lockers for the entire school day with no exceptions, including at lunch. This is a bell-to-bell device ban that affects the daily classroom environment. The district has also launched Roadmap2030, a comprehensive strategic and master facilities plan begun in October 2024 that will analyze building integrity and alignment with future enrollment, with recommendations expected to shape long-term school operations and capital spending.

For a family evaluating American Dreamer STEM Academy, the central question is how the school plans to move proficiency upward from its current very low baseline. Families prioritizing traditional academic preparation in core subjects should seek that conversation before enrolling.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 313%

School 13% · District 11% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 47%

School 7% · District 9% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 54%

School 4% · District 6% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 64%

School 4% · District 5% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 70%

School 0% · District 8% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 85%

School 5% · District 4% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 34%

School 4% · District 13% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 40 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 423%

School 23% · District 18% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 25 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 515%

School 15% · District 17% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 37 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 617%

School 17% · District 18% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 715%

School 15% · District 15% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 37 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 19% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Science

Grade 515%

School 15% · District 15%

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 21% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

This schoolDecatur SD 61, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.