The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in English language arts. The lowest is 35% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Illini Elem School
Illini Elem School is a regular public elementary school in Fairview Heights serving pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. The school enrolled about one-third of the students across a small school population, distributed fairly evenly across grade levels with slightly larger kindergarten and fourth-grade cohorts.
The student body is racially diverse. White students make up roughly half the enrollment; Black students comprise a substantial share at just over one-third; students of two or more races account for a smaller but meaningful portion; and Hispanic, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students together make up a small percentage. The school does not report Title I or free-or-reduced-price-lunch eligibility, special education identification rate, or English learner enrollment, so a parent would need to contact the school directly to understand the proportion of students qualifying for those services or supports.
On the 2024-25 Illinois Assessment of Readiness, proficiency results are available only for third and fourth grades. In third-grade math, about three in ten students performed at proficient or above, with near-universal test participation. In fourth-grade math, the rate rises to four in ten. In third-grade English language arts, just over one-third of students met proficiency; fourth-grade ELA improved substantially, with just over half reaching proficient or above. Fifth through eighth grades have no state testing results reported, which reflects the fact that the school serves only through fourth grade; any student moving to middle school would transfer to a different building. Illinois cut scores for reading and math changed in 2024-25, so trend comparisons with prior years are not reliable.
Looking across tested grades and subjects, Illini Elem's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint when compared with other districts in St. Clair County. This means the school's aggregate performance, while not the weakest in the county, runs behind the typical district. A parent may want to discuss these results with school leadership and inquire about instructional support programs, benchmark assessments, and intervention strategies the school is implementing.
The larger context matters. Fairview Heights is a St. Louis metro-east suburb about 12 to 15 miles from the city, built primarily around retail and service commerce, centered on Interstate 64. The city has grown substantially since incorporation in the mid-1970s and now functions as a major shopping and dining destination for the region. Housing ranges from midcentury ranches and split-levels in older neighborhoods to newer construction from the 2000s onward. A MetroLink station opened in recent years, and the city has continued to add mixed-income residential subdivisions, including senior housing and market-rate single-family developments.
The school sits within Grant CCSD 110, a small two-school district that, as of March 2024, was certified by the Illinois State Board of Education as being in financial difficulty. This is a significant marker for families. The district faces long-standing deficit spending, has issued working cash bonds repeatedly to cover operating shortfalls, and the state imposed oversight and required a multi-year financial plan. The district is projecting meaningful staffing reductions for the current fiscal year and a sharp decline in operating fund balance over the next few years. For a parent considering a move into the district or currently residing there, this situation signals potential constraints on class sizes, program breadth, and facility maintenance over the medium term, and represents real uncertainty about the district's stability.
Illini Elem itself serves a smaller population relative to its grade band, which generally supports closer teacher-student relationships and more individualized attention. Housing values in the Fairview Heights zip code have remained relatively modest and are affordably priced compared to broader state and national benchmarks, making the area accessible to families with mid-range incomes. Rental housing is also available and is reflected in the local rental market.
A parent evaluating this school should balance the lower-than-county-average proficiency results and the district's financial constraints against the school's smaller size, the diversity of its student population, and the affordability of the surrounding residential market. The district's financial status is the most significant consideration and warrants a direct conversation with school and district leaders about how budget pressures may affect instruction, staffing stability, and services over the next two to three years.
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