The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mulberry Grove Elem School
Mulberry Grove Elementary School is a small, PreK-through-Grade-5 public school in the rural village of Mulberry Grove in Bond County, Illinois. The school serves roughly a small enrollment drawn from the village and surrounding area, with a student body that is predominantly white. The school is one of two district schools operated by Mulberry Grove CUSD 1 on an in-town campus near the village center.
Academic performance on recent state assessments shows a consistent pattern across grades three through five. In English language arts, proficiency rates in third and fourth grades sit below fifty percent, while fifth grade dips lower still. Math proficiency is weaker across the board, with third grade approaching a midpoint on the state's scale but fourth and fifth grades falling to much lower rates. Science performance in fifth grade also falls below a third of students meeting state proficiency. All grades tested have achieved full participation in assessments.
When compared against other districts in Bond County, Mulberry Grove Elementary's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint, though this positioning reflects a broader county context rather than a state benchmark. The spread of results across grade levels and subjects is uneven enough that a parent may want to look into further detail with the school about how it approaches literacy and mathematics in the intermediate grades, particularly grade four, where proficiency drops sharply.
State assessment data was not available for sixth grade and above; the school's official grade band ends at fifth grade, so those missing results reflect the school's scope rather than a gap in reporting.
The village itself is experiencing modest population decline. Housing values sit modestly below state and national benchmarks. Employment for residents centers on the school district as a local anchor and nearby towns like Greenville and Vandalia along Interstate 70, about a short drive away. The village sits within a one-square-mile footprint, so the school campus is walkable from most addresses, and civic life is clustered within the village rather than spread across separate campuses.
Enrollment data and staffing numbers are recorded in the school's published profile. Data on free and reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, and English learner populations were not available in the sources reviewed. Recent changes in district policy or curriculum were not surfaced in available records, so the school's operational priorities remain outside this account.
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