The top reported proficiency rate is 63% in English language arts. The lowest is 52% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Lebanon Elem School
Lebanon Elem School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a small rural community east of St. Louis. The school draws roughly a small village's worth of enrollment, with a student body that is majority white, with substantial representation from Black and multiracial students, and a smaller Hispanic population. Enrollment is stable across the grade bands that the school serves.
The school's most recent state test results show a mixed academic picture. In third and fourth grade math, proficiency hovers around the middle range, with fourth-graders performing at about the same level as third-graders. Fifth-grade math drops noticeably, with fewer than half the cohort meeting state proficiency. Reading results are stronger overall. Third-grade language arts proficiency matches math, but fourth grade jumps meaningfully higher, and fifth grade reaches its strongest showing, with nearly three-quarters of students meeting proficiency. The school also administered a science assessment to fifth graders, where about half met proficiency standards. Test participation was consistently high, and all grades showed full or near-full participation. The state modified its proficiency cutoff scores in recent years, which means direct year-to-year trend comparisons are not available from the data provided.
Among the county's other districts, Lebanon Elem's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint, suggesting that while the school is not a standout performer, it is performing at or above the middle tier of its local peer group. The school does not report free-and-reduced-price lunch counts, English learner enrollment, or special education enrollment in the available data, so a parent may want to reach out to the school directly to understand the composition of its support services.
Lebanon sits in a small college town with McKendree University at its heart and strong ties to Scott Air Force Base, located just a short distance away. The historic downtown, centered on a brick-paved street lined with antique shops and locally owned restaurants, gives the town a compact, walkable character. The community has grown modestly in recent years as military families relocate to the area seeking quieter neighborhoods with shorter commutes to the base. Housing values in the area are well below both state and national medians, and rental housing remains affordable relative to income. The local housing market has activity, with steady new listings and a growing pipeline of pending sales.
The school appears to serve a stable, community-oriented population. Class sizes remain small across grade bands. There is no indication of major district-level changes, referendum activity, or curriculum overhauls in recent years, though the school itself earned recognition as a National Blue Ribbon school. For families seeking a traditional elementary school experience in a small-town setting with affordable local housing, this school fits a clear profile. Parents interested in understanding the school's approach to math support at the upper elementary level, where proficiency dips, may benefit from a direct conversation with the school.
See more original research from School Decision →