Original Research by School Decision on Midway School
Midway School is a small early-primary public school serving prekindergarten through second grade in Moro, an unincorporated rural community in Madison County, Illinois, east of the St. Louis Metro-East region. The school sits on a quiet country drive with farmland and acreage parcels nearby, serving a tightly drawn neighborhood attendance area as part of Edwardsville CUSD 7.
The enrollment is small, comprising students almost entirely from the immediate locality. The student body is predominantly white, with a very small number of Black students, Hispanic students, and students of two or more races represented. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and special education enrollment were not reported.
Because Midway School serves only the early grades, it does not administer the state assessments used to measure proficiency in upper grades. Midway functions as a primary attendance center; students move to Worden Elementary School for grades three through five, then eventually to Edwardsville's middle and high schools, so secondary schooling is centered outside the community. The school's website and district materials describe it as a neighborhood school focused on foundational literacy and math in the early grades, though specific curriculum or instructional approach was not detailed in available sources.
The immediate housing market shows typical rural-fringe values. Single-family homes in the Moro area are considerably less expensive than state and national medians, reflecting the rural character and distance from urban employment. Monthly mortgage costs are modest compared to rent, and the housing stock leans toward owner-occupied acreage lots rather than dense subdivision. New residential construction nearby, such as Cedar Ridge Subdivision with its large rural lots, indicates slow, steady rural-edge growth rather than rapid expansion.
The Moro/Edwardsville district context matters for a parent's longer view. In April 2023, district voters approved a substantial zero-tax-rate-change bond for facility, safety, and security upgrades across all schools. Lincoln Middle School underwent a major rebuild with new secured entry, gymnasiums, commons, and media center. That capital work has made lasting improvements to the learning environments families encounter as children advance through the grades. However, in March 2025 the district board voted to dismiss a substantial number of non-tenured probationary teachers and not fill several retiring positions, citing financial pressures from inflation and reduced state revenue. That staffing reduction carries potential implications for class sizes and resource intensity in the years ahead. A parent should speak directly with the school about current staffing and class composition, particularly as that decision may affect the early-grades experience in the near term.
Midway itself is embedded in a very rural setting with no walkable commercial core. Civic life is minimal; the school serves as a neighborhood anchor along with a local park and the area's post office. Most families rely on cars to access work, shopping, and services in nearby Bethalto, Worden, or Edwardsville. For a family seeking a small, quiet, rural early-grades experience within reach of Edwardsville's secondary and high schools, Midway offers that niche. Prospective families will want to confirm current staffing levels and classroom sizes directly with administration.
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