The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in English language arts. The lowest is 40% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Illini Bluffs Middle School
Illini Bluffs Middle School sits on the rural-fringe edge of Glasford, a small declining village in Peoria County about 15 miles southwest of the city of Peoria. The school serves grades six through eight, drawing from a community where most families own their homes and work either locally or commute to wider employment areas. Enrollment is small, around the mid-range for a rural middle school serving its grade band, distributed roughly evenly across the three grades.
The student body is predominantly white, with a small representation of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. No data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility or English learner status was available, so a parent would want to contact the school directly to understand the full scope of support services and demographics. Similarly, enrollment data for students with IEPs and any specialized programs or staffing ratios are not present in the published record.
State test results for 2024-25 show a mixed picture across the school's grades. In English language arts, eighth graders performed notably well, with proficiency running well above the lower middle range; sixth graders showed solid proficiency at just under the midpoint; and seventh graders sat at the midpoint. Math proficiency follows a steeper climb through the grades: sixth graders scored considerably below proficiency, seventh graders moved to just above the midpoint, and eighth graders reached approximately the midpoint or slightly above. In science, where only grade eight was tested, proficiency landed near the midpoint. Test participation was strong, with nearly universal participation across grades and subjects.
Within Peoria County's school population, Illini Bluffs Middle School ranks above the midpoint in overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades, suggesting results that lean toward the stronger side of the county's district mix. However, a parent may want to look into the wide spread between sixth-grade and eighth-grade math performance, particularly the low proficiency in grade six, to understand whether the school has supports in place for students entering the middle school and what interventions might be available.
The school operates as part of Illini Bluffs CUSD 327, a small unified district serving Glasford. No significant recent changes in district policy, referendum measures, or curriculum direction were documented in available sources, so the district appears stable rather than in transition. Information about specific course offerings, extracurricular programs, special services, or staffing was not available, and a parent considering this school should request that directly from the district office.
Housing in the area is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks, with median home values and rental costs tracking well below statewide figures, though the village itself is on a slow population decline. The broader community offers limited walkable amenities within Glasford itself; the middle school campus sits on a separated rural site rather than in the village center, and civic services including the public library are either locally modest or provided via outreach from surrounding areas.
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