The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 35% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Northwest Elem School
Northwest Elementary School serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in Lincoln, Illinois, a county seat in central Logan County where the school sits on the edge of a historic downtown core marked by the courthouse square and mixed residential neighborhoods. The school enrolls a small population of students, with relatively balanced numbers across each grade, and the enrollment reflects the wider community: predominantly white, with a growing share of multiracial students and smaller populations of Hispanic and Asian families.
State test results from spring 2025 show mixed performance across grades and subjects. Third graders scored above the midpoint statewide in both English language arts and math, with reading proficiency notably stronger than math. Fourth grade shows a steeper drop in both subjects, with math proficiency falling to about one in three students meeting the standard; the same pattern holds in English language arts. Fifth grade math rebounds modestly while English language arts proficiency rises more substantially. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits at about one in three students. The school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the county's districts, a meaningful strength given Logan County's mix of district performance. All students participated in testing with very high or complete rates, and the school maintained these testing patterns consistently across grades where data was reported.
The school's academic profile suggests solid ground in early elementary reading, with a notable drop in proficiency across fourth grade in both subjects that warrants attention. A parent may want to ask the school directly about what instructional shifts occur at grade four and what support exists for students making that transition. Science proficiency in grade five is a soft spot the district may be addressing. The school's position above the county midpoint reflects both these patterns and the relative strength of earlier grades.
Enrollment has remained small and stable, with no significant year-to-year swings visible. The community itself is economically modest and flat: Lincoln's recent employment trend has been slightly downward, and the 2022 closure of Lincoln College removed a historic employer and changed the local landscape. Housing costs in the zip code sit below state and national medians, and mortgage affordability is favorable on paper, though the broader employment context around Lincoln is constrained. Families here tend to have roots in the area rather than be newcomers.
The school sits within Lincoln ESD 27, a district that recently pursued a referendum to expand the use of an existing county school sales tax to fund school resource officers and mental health professionals without raising the tax rate. For families, this signals the district's investment in safety and student mental health services in schools. No detailed information was available about specific programs, curriculum pathways, or staffing changes at the school level, nor were free-or-reduced-price lunch data or special education or English learner enrollment available from the school's profile.
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