Original Research by School Decision on Delavan High School
Delavan High School serves a small rural community in southern Tazewell County, sitting within a town of roughly a few hundred residents on the Illinois prairie, a short distance from Peoria. The school itself is small, with an enrollment that puts it at the lower end for a four-year high school. The student body is predominantly white, with very small numbers of students of color.
The school is located downtown on Locust Street, the same street as Delavan's historic commercial district and civic anchors like the Ayer Public Library. This in-town placement means the school is woven into the fabric of the community rather than isolated on an outlying campus. It shares the address with Delavan Junior High, forming a combined secondary complex.
State testing data and graduation rates were not available, so no direct picture of academic outcomes can be drawn from the provided information. The comparison set for Tazewell County districts also could not be populated because the school-level proficiency index, four-year graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism rate are missing from the data. This absence likely reflects either a data reporting gap or the reality that a school this size may sit outside some routine state accountability reporting. A parent interested in Delavan High School's academic standing and pathways may want to contact the school directly for current testing results, course offerings, and graduate outcomes.
The most significant recent development is a 2024 facilities referendum that passed with strong community support. The referendum funds a new high school building that replaces much of the existing inefficient structure with a smaller, technology-driven, student-centered learning environment. This represents a generational commitment to reshaping how the school operates and what it offers. The rebuilt facility emphasizes accessibility and flexibility, signaling a shift toward modern instructional spaces.
Delavan itself is in a long-term population decline and active revitalization phase. The town has seen employment shrink as residents commute to larger centers like Peoria or Bloomington. A significant local employer, Revolution Global, operates a large cannabis cultivation facility on the edge of town. The housing market shows modest momentum, with median prices climbing and new listings rising year-over-year, though inventory remains thin. The downtown is seeing renewed activity through TIF-backed projects, small-business recruitment, and new retail and restaurant openings.
For families choosing between schools in this region, Delavan High School is a very small, tight-knit option in a rural setting with strong community identity. The upcoming facility investment suggests the district is committed to modernizing the student experience, and the downtown location ties the school directly to the town's civic and commercial heart. Prospective families should engage directly with the school about specific academics, programs, and support services to understand what the school offers beyond its physical transformation.
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