The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in English language arts. The lowest is 54% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Heyworth Jr-sr High School
Heyworth Jr-Sr High School is a small, traditional public school serving grades seven through twelve in Heyworth, a growing rural village in McLean County about twelve to thirteen miles south of Bloomington-Normal. The school enrolls a little over four hundred students across six grade levels, with enrollment fairly balanced across grades, and is housed on a shared campus footprint with the district's elementary school and administrative offices near the village downtown.
The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and very small counts of other racial and ethnic groups. The school did not report free-or-reduced-price-lunch data or special-education and English-learner enrollment figures, so a parent cannot see from the available data what share of students qualify for lunch assistance or receive special services. The civil-rights snapshot that would normally accompany school data was not provided.
State testing results are available only for grades seven and eight, as the school does not serve the elementary grades below grade seven that are tested in math and English language arts under Illinois Assessment of Readiness. In seventh-grade English language arts, students achieved proficiency at a stronger rate than in seventh-grade math. Eighth-grade English language arts proficiency was solid, and eighth-grade science proficiency was solid as well. Eighth-grade math proficiency fell notably lower, with a bit less than half of students meeting the state standard. The school's overall proficiency index, calculated across the tested grades and subjects where data exists, places it in the top quartile among the thirteen districts in McLean County. A parent may want to inquire with the school about the math proficiency gap in grades seven and eight and what approaches the school uses to address skills at those grade levels.
The school provides no reported data on graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, discipline, course offerings, staffing, or attendance, which are typical datasets for high schools serving grades nine through twelve. Without those figures, a parent cannot determine the school's four-year graduation rate, track attendance patterns, or see what AP courses, career pathways, or dual-credit programs may be available. A parent looking for detailed academic and support information for the high school grades should reach out to the school directly to ask about those offerings.
Heyworth itself is described as one of the fastest-growing communities in rural McLean County, with population rising over recent years. The village functions as a bedroom community of Bloomington-Normal and is set in a predominantly agricultural area with a small-town, close-knit character. Housing values in the area are below the state average and well below the national benchmark, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment for a median home is affordable relative to median household income. The village has grown through new subdivisions and low-income housing development, drawing families seeking space and proximity to Bloomington-Normal employers within a short commute distance.
Recent changes affecting the school district include a countywide one-percent sales tax for school facilities and safety that voters approved in April 2025 and that took effect July 1, 2025. Heyworth CUSD 4 estimates the tax will generate a modest amount in new annual revenue, which the district has said it will use to reduce property tax burden or offset expenses, along with funding for safety, facilities, and mental health services. In November 2024, the district placed a referendum on school board elections that would have switched from a congressional-township system to at-large elections; voters favored the change, but the outcome was contested under state law, leaving the question of whether the shift will take effect unresolved at the time of this writing.
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