The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in Math. The lowest is 51% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on North Side Elem School
North Side Elementary serves early grades from Pre-K through third grade in Fairfield, a small rural county seat in southeastern Illinois. The school enrolls a small school-sized population, with about a quarter in Pre-K, and the remainder spread across kindergarten through third grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a small representation of other racial and ethnic groups.
The school's location is at 806 North First Street in Fairfield's residential area. Fairfield itself is a quiet, older town centered on a historic courthouse square, with a "sparse suburban feel" in its neighborhoods beyond downtown. The community is characterized by homeownership, a sizable retiree population, and a longstanding identity as the "Home of the Friendly People." The local economy turns on healthcare (Fairfield Memorial Hospital is a leading regional employer), manufacturing like automotive parts, and government and agricultural services. Housing values in the area are substantially below state and national benchmarks, making it an affordable market by broad measures.
The town has been experiencing gradual population decline over recent decades as part of broader rural Midwest depopulation. This context shapes school enrollment and community stability.
In terms of academics, the only state assessment data available are third-grade results from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) in 2025. Third graders showed about proficiency in math and just under half meeting proficiency benchmarks in English language arts. The school reports full testing participation in both subjects. No data are available for grades four through eight because the school does not serve those grades; it is an elementary school limited to the early childhood and primary years. Compared to other districts in Wayne County, the school's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint, suggesting performance that is middling to slightly stronger within the immediate county context.
Free-or-reduced-price-lunch data and English learner counts are not provided in available sources, so it is unclear what share of families face economic hardship or what language support services may be in place. Similarly, special education enrollment and staffing information are not reported here, leaving gaps in the fuller picture of school services.
The district, Fairfield PSD 112, did not yield recent parent-relevant changes or strategic announcements in accessible public sources. No specific curriculum, pedagogy, or facilities initiatives surfaced, though the district maintains routine operations in this small rural setting.
For families considering North Side, the key realities are that it is a small early-grades school in an affordable, declining rural town with foundational but not standout test results in the grades measured. The school fits a family seeking a traditional elementary experience in a quiet community, with the understanding that post-third-grade students will transition to another building in the district. A parent may want to inquire directly with the school about special education services, English learner support, and the nature of the transition to upper grades.
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