The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in English language arts. The lowest is 40% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Ben-gil Elementary School
Ben-Gil Elementary School serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in Gillespie, a small former coal-mining city in Macoupin County, Illinois, positioned in the outer St. Louis Metro East region. The school itself is relatively new, built on land adjacent to the district's middle and high school campus along West Elm Street after the prior Benld Elementary building was destroyed by mine subsidence. The enrollment is small, with a student body that is predominantly white and drawn from the immediate area.
In state testing for the current school year, the school shows mixed results. In English language arts, third grade performs around the midpoint of students meeting proficiency, while fourth grade performs stronger. Fifth grade language arts results sit in the solid middle range. Reading comprehension and writing skills form the clearer strength across the tested grades. Mathematics results are weaker. Third grade math proficiency falls below what the ELA cohort achieves, fourth grade sits closer to the ELA level, and fifth grade math proficiency is notably low. The gap between language arts and math performance widens in the upper elementary grades, particularly in fifth grade. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits around the midpoint. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it above the midpoint when compared with other districts in Macoupin County, though the math softness in the upper grades is a concrete area a parent may want to explore further with the school.
The school serves a student body with very limited economic diversity. Free or reduced price lunch data was not available, but the demographic composition is heavily white, with very small populations of other racial and ethnic groups. The enrollment runs small for each grade, ranging from roughly 69 to 100 students per grade level across the PK-5 band. This environment means a small peer group, closer relationships between families, and direct visibility to a child's progress. It also limits the range of peer backgrounds and experiences.
Gillespie itself is a quiet, affordable small town anchored by a revitalized downtown along Macoupin Street with small businesses, restaurants, and the Illinois Coal Museum. Most families own homes and drive. The town is car-dependent; Illinois Routes 4 and 16 intersect downtown, but there is no fixed-route public transit. Housing is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks, and the median home price has climbed modestly in recent years.
One material factor for families considering a move is ongoing mine subsidence activity. A subsidence event in 2026 on Elm Street, within a block of school property, damaged multiple homes and created concern about damage to underground utilities. The district has maps showing portions of the middle school sit over undermined ground, and a major subsidence could damage the high school as well. This is not a theoretical risk; the district previously lost the Benld Elementary building to subsidence and spent years recovering and rebuilding. Families weighing a move to Gillespie should understand that this location-specific geological hazard is an active part of the school district's operational reality.
The district's property tax levy has increased year over year in recent years, signaling a rising school portion of property tax bills. This is worth factoring into the total cost of living in the area. The district operates a consolidated campus model, meaning all grade bands sit together on a single site rather than being distributed throughout town, which affects commute patterns and family connection to the broader community.
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