The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in English language arts. The lowest is 44% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Arland D Williams Jr Elem Sch
Arland D Williams Jr Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Mattoon, a small Central Illinois city built on a foundation of rail transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing. The school sits on South 9th Street in a residential neighborhood and enrolls a mixed student body of roughly average size for its grade band, with students who are predominantly white, a meaningful share who are Black or multiracial, and smaller populations of Hispanic and Asian students.
In the most recent state testing window, the school's academic profile shows proficiency spread unevenly across subjects and grades. In English language arts, proficiency ranges from around mid-40s in third grade up to mid-50s in fourth and fifth grades. Mathematics proficiency follows a steeper decline by grade level: starting near 50 percent in third grade, it drops to just under 50 percent in fourth grade and falls to around 30 percent in fifth grade. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits near 47 percent. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among county districts. Across all subjects and grades tested here, the school's average proficiency rate is above the median for Coles County schools, which suggests stronger-than-typical academic performance for this region, though the grade-by-grade pattern in mathematics—with notably lower proficiency in the upper elementary grades tested—warrants a parent's close look at curriculum or support structures if math is a priority.
The school's data omits free-or-reduced-price-lunch counts and English learner or special education enrollment figures, so the economic profile of the student body and the depth of support services available are not visible here. Participation rates in state testing are high and consistent, above 99 percent across subjects and grades, signaling full engagement with the assessment system.
Mattoon itself is in what local officials describe as a strong growth phase. The city has affordably priced single-family housing on large lots, with a mix of ranch-style homes and some multi-family options near downtown. New construction includes a compact-home development under way near South 9th Street and a supportive housing complex that opened nearby in late 2024. Downtown maintains a traditional main street with shops, cafes, and cultural anchors like the renovated Amtrak depot, while neighborhoods are largely car-oriented. The employer base is stable, anchored by health care, agriculture-related retail, telecommunications, and a community college.
At the district level, Mattoon CUSD 2 opened a significant career and technical education hub called LIFT in 2022, a renovated downtown building housing dual-credit and industry-credential programs in fields such as information technology, manufacturing, green energy, construction, and hospitality. In 2025, Illinois designated LIFT an Area Career Center, making it one of only three added to the state's network in recent years and opening its pathways to students from as many as 28 surrounding districts at no extra cost to Mattoon families. This is a durable shift in the district's offerings that expands post-secondary options for students willing to pursue work-aligned credentials alongside or instead of a traditional high school diploma.
For families considering this school, the core academic picture is a mixed elementary program with stronger performance in early grades and in reading than in upper elementary mathematics. The broader Mattoon context is a stable, affordable, modest-scale city with a working downtown and an unusually rich regional technical education investment that may matter more as children advance into middle and high school. A parent might want to ask the school directly about math support and curriculum choices, especially for students heading into the later elementary years.
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