Original Research by School Decision on Effingham Unit 40 Preschool
Effingham Unit 40 Preschool is a public preschool program serving only prekindergarten students in Effingham, a small city that sits at the I-57/I-70 crossroads and serves as Effingham County's seat. The program enrolls a small group of children and reflects the town's demographics: the majority of students are white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, multiracial, and Asian students, and one student of American Indian/Alaska Native descent. No Black students are enrolled. The program is operated by Effingham Community Unit School District 40, which runs six schools across the city serving the full span from preschool through high school.
Because this is a preschool-only program serving an untested grade band, no state assessment data, graduation rates, or chronic absenteeism metrics apply. The comparison metrics used to position schools against their county peers do not apply here for the same reason.
The broader district context matters to families considering preschool placement. Effingham CUSD 40 has faced sustained tension over facilities and funding. In November 2024, voters rejected a sales tax referendum aimed at funding school improvements for the fourth time since a recent starting year, and the most pressing unmet need remains a planned kindergarten-through-second-grade building. In 2025, the district moved forward with bond issuance to fund a new K-2 building and other facility work. Community organizers collected signatures to force a public referendum on the proposal, meaning the property-tax impact and the fate of a new K-2 school remain under voter consideration. For families with preschoolers transitioning into elementary grades, this funding environment and the state of elementary facilities warrant direct conversation with the district about timeline and capacity.
Effingham itself is a mixed-use small city with a working commercial and industrial base. The downtown district has a walkable historic core with locally owned shops, restaurants, and the Effingham Performance Center. Outside downtown, commercial life concentrates along the interstate interchange, which is auto-oriented. The city is pursuing active workforce-housing and industrial development following a Housing and Economic Recovery Plan; recent projects include a workforce-housing partnership on property acquired from a local hospital and expansions at manufacturers including John Boos and Co. and Flex-N-Gate. The regional economy is anchored by employers such as Heartland Dental, Patterson Companies, and the regional hospital. Housing values in the Effingham zip code are below state and national benchmarks, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment is modest relative to median household income in the region, making it an affordable housing market.
The Effingham Park District operates recreation facilities including the Ron Diehl Recreation Center and four community parks, and the city has Amtrak service and local transit. These amenities support family life beyond school.
For prospective preschool families, the key considerations are the program's small enrollment and student composition, the district's ongoing facilities and funding challenges as children move into elementary grades, and the town's modest affordability and job-market characteristics. Speaking directly with the preschool director and the district about their near-term plans for elementary facilities and class size would help families assess fit.
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