The top reported proficiency rate is 18% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Meredosia-chambersburg Elem Sch
Meredosia-Chambersburg Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in a small river village on the Illinois River in northwestern Morgan County. The school sits at the heart of the community on Main Street, directly adjacent to the village library, making it a core civic anchor rather than a distant campus.
The school's academic performance presents substantial challenges. State testing data from the most recent year shows proficiency rates that are markedly low across both math and English language arts in the tested grades. In math, third grade reached low proficiency, fourth grade even lower, and fifth grade lower still. In English language arts, third grade performance was similarly low, fourth grade improved modestly, and fifth grade showed the school's strongest result, though still at a modest level. A science assessment in fifth grade yielded proficiency in the low range. When viewed against other districts in Morgan County, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. All students tested participated fully, so participation was not a barrier to these results. Testing standards changed in the state assessment system, making year-to-year comparison unsafe, so a parent may want to look into the school's prior-year results directly with the school to understand trends.
The enrollment is small, typical for an elementary school serving a rural village. The student body is predominantly white, with very small numbers of Hispanic and multiracial students. No data was available on the proportion of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, on students with individualized education plans, or on English learners, so a parent interested in understanding the school's support for economically disadvantaged or special-needs students should ask the school directly.
The village itself sits in a context of long-term decline. The largest historical employer, the Ameren power plant, closed and was demolished, eliminating a substantial number of jobs. Population has fallen over decades. The main economic anchors now are agricultural operations, two bank branches, and the school district itself. Housing values are modest and have declined slightly year over year. The community remains compact and walkable on a small scale, with the school accessible on foot from downtown.
The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet program, and is part of the Meredosia-Chambersburg CUSD 11 district. No recent major district-wide changes—such as curriculum overhauls or property-tax referendums—appear in available sources, though school leadership has discussed facility improvements including roofing and HVAC work.
A parent considering this school should understand that current academic results are low and would benefit from a detailed conversation with the school about the supports in place, what may be driving the results, and what improvement efforts are underway.
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