Limestone Walters Elem School, Peoria IL

Original Research by School Decision on Limestone Walters Elem School

Limestone Walters Elem School is a small K-8 building in Peoria's west side serving a tight student community. The school is primarily white, and no recent data was available on free-or-reduced-price-lunch eligibility or on counts of students receiving special education or English learner services.

Academic results show uneven performance across grades and subjects, with some strengths and clear soft spots. In English language arts, third- and fourth-graders reach proficiency at higher rates than middle grades, and eighth-grade ELA shows decent performance. Reading appears more stable across the grade span than math. In mathematics, third grade performs above the midpoint; fourth and seventh grades both show notably low proficiency; fifth and sixth grades land in the mid-range; and eighth grade inches ahead. Science data covers only two tested grades: fifth-grade results are modest, while eighth grade shows noticeably stronger outcomes. Overall, the school's proficiency index sits above the median when compared against the other districts in Peoria County, though the range of performance suggests that outcomes vary significantly by grade and skill area.

Participation in state assessments is strong, with most grades near full participation. The school was affected by changes to Illinois' proficiency cut scores during the assessment cycle, so recent historical trend data is not fully comparable year to year.

The school sits in a real rural setting. Peoria itself is a mid-sized industrial city with a historic downtown, established neighborhoods on bluffs, newer residential areas, and a revitalized Warehouse District along the riverfront. The housing market in the area shows modest values and steady, modest appreciation; living costs remain reasonable relative to state and national benchmarks. The economy is anchored by healthcare (OSF Healthcare is the largest employer) and heavy machinery manufacturing (including Caterpillar), alongside Bradley University and other institutions. Transit is provided by CityLink, which runs 18 bus routes across eight communities and serves schools, hospitals, and parks.

The district brief notes that no major referenda, tax-levy changes, curriculum overhauls, or consolidations have occurred recently enough to shape enrollment or resources in a lasting way, so a parent may want to reach out directly to the school or district office to understand current operational priorities or any informal initiatives underway.

The school's small enrollment and rural character mean it offers a different peer environment from larger urban or suburban buildings in the county. A parent might want to look into the school directly regarding specific academic supports or enrichment offerings, as this data did not show program details beyond state-tested subjects.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 367%

School 67% · District 67%

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 33%

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 44%

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 652%

School 52% · District 52%

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 733%

School 33% · District 33%

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 853%

School 53% · District 53%

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 361%

School 61% · District 61%

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 459%

School 59% · District 59%

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 567%

School 67% · District 67%

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 652%

School 52% · District 52%

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 744%

School 44% · District 44%

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 865%

School 65% · District 65%

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Science

Grade 556%

School 56% · District 56%

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 881%

School 81% · District 81%

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 51 pts above county median

This schoolLimestone Walters CCSD 316, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.