Original Research by School Decision on Leclaire Elem School
LeClaire Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through second grade in Edwardsville, a county-seat city in the St. Louis metro area. The school enrolls a small cohort of students, with the largest group in second grade and progressively smaller enrollments in first grade, kindergarten, and pre-K, which is typical for this grade band.
The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller but meaningful share of multiracial students, a modest Black enrollment, and very small numbers of Hispanic, Asian, and Native American students. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and special-population services such as special education and English learner support were not available, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about those services and whether they are available or how the school works with families whose children need them.
The school sits within Edwardsville CUSD 7, a district that in April 2023 won voter approval for a major bond package to fund facility upgrades across all schools, including new secured entries, gyms, media centers, and commons areas. That work has been reshaping learning environments without raising the tax rate. In March 2025, however, the district board voted narrowly to dismiss non-tenured probationary teachers and leave retiring positions unfilled, a cost-saving move the district said was necessary for financial stability. That decision may have class-size implications that parents may want to discuss with the school.
Edwardsville itself is a walkable, mixed-use community built around a historic downtown Main Street corridor lined with shops, restaurants, and civic anchors like the courthouse, library, and arts center. Single-family homes dominate the housing stock, and more than 85 miles of paved bicycle and walking trails weave through the city and neighboring Glen Carbon, connecting schools, neighborhoods, parks, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Housing values are moderate relative to the national benchmark, and rents are stable. Employment centers include Amazon's large fulfillment operation, SIUE, healthcare, steel production, dairy cooperatives, and warehousing and logistics. The city is experiencing steady growth, with downtown infill projects, new mixed-use residential developments, and sports park and commercial projects near the I-55 corridor.
State testing data were not available for LeClaire Elementary, which is typical for schools serving grades below third grade, as Illinois does not administer standardized state assessments in pre-K through second grade. A parent interested in understanding the school's academic direction and approach would benefit from visiting the school, speaking with teachers and the principal, and reviewing any curriculum materials or local assessments the school uses to guide instruction at these early grades.
The school's website was not provided in available records, so a parent can reach the school directly through Edwardsville CUSD 7's main office or by searching for LeClaire Elementary's contact information in district directories.
See more original research from School Decision →