The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in English language arts. The lowest is 38% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Maroa-forsyth Grade School
Maroa-Forsyth Grade School is a small elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Forsyth, Illinois, a suburban community anchored by retail development along a highway corridor. The school enrolls roughly 600 students, distributed fairly evenly across the grades, and reflects the racial composition of its area: a majority white enrollment alongside Asian, Black, multiracial, and smaller numbers of Hispanic and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility was not available.
The school's academic profile shows proficiency across the tested grade levels, though with a visible downward slope from third to fifth grade in both English language arts and math. In third grade, proficiency in English language arts and math both hover near the mid-60s range, indicating that about two-thirds of students meet state standards. By fourth grade, that picture becomes more mixed: English language arts remains around the same level, while math drops to half of students meeting proficiency. Fifth grade shows a similar pattern, with English language arts holding steady in the low-60s and math declining further, to below half of students reaching proficiency. Science proficiency in fifth grade, on the state's newer assessment, is lower still. These declines across the grade span are substantive enough that a parent may want to look into the school's approaches to math instruction and support in the upper elementary years, and how the school addresses the transition to the new science assessment framework.
The data from state testing reflects the school's performance relative to other districts in Macon County. Overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places this school in the top quartile among the county's districts, a meaningful strength. Participation in state assessments is complete.
Maroa-Forsyth serves two small communities: Maroa and Forsyth. Forsyth itself is a suburban village built largely around retail and commercial corridors, particularly near Hickory Point Mall and Interstate 72. The area has experienced flat or slight recent population decline after earlier suburban growth. Housing values in the zip code are moderately priced relative to the nation and somewhat below the state benchmark. The village's commercial life is auto-oriented rather than walkable, with churches, schools, parks, and civic facilities distributed across the landscape rather than concentrated in a downtown. The broader labor market is shaped by Caterpillar and St. Mary's Hospital in the Decatur area, along with regional retail employment.
A significant recent development in the district is the opening of a new Maroa-Forsyth Middle School building in early 2023, funded by a voter-approved bond. The new middle school is attached to the high school and replaced an older facility that had housed middle students. This represents the kind of substantial infrastructure investment that can shape families' perception of district commitment and capacity.
The school itself is not a magnet or charter; it is a regular public elementary school operated by Maroa Forsyth CUSD 2. No data on staffing, course-by-course offerings, disciplinary climate, or specialized programs such as gifted or special education enrollment was available.
See more original research from School Decision →