The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Carruthers Elementary School
Carruthers Elementary serves grades three through five in Murphysboro, a small Southern Illinois town that has weathered decades of industrial decline and is now in the early stages of downtown revitalization. The school enrolls a student body drawn from a mix of backgrounds, with a majority white enrollment alongside substantial Black and multiracial populations, reflecting the town's broader demographics.
State test results in math and English language arts show proficiency levels in the low-to-mid range. In third grade, math proficiency sits around two-fifths of students, while English language arts is slightly lower. By fourth grade, math proficiency drops sharply to about one-quarter of students, and English language arts holds steady around one-third. In fifth grade, math proficiency further declines to roughly one-fifth, though English language arts remains around one-third. Science proficiency in fifth grade, where it is tested, also sits around one-third. All three grades show strong participation rates, with nearly all students assessed in each subject. A parent may want to look into what supports the school is putting in place to address the downward trend in math proficiency as students move through the upper elementary grades.
Relative to other districts in Jackson County, Carruthers' overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint. The school's performance sits materially below the county's median and well below the county's strongest performers, a positioning that invites further conversation with school leadership about instructional priorities, assessment practices, and student support systems.
The school is situated in a town navigating economic transition. Murphysboro serves as the Jackson County seat and remains anchored by government offices and Saint Joseph Memorial Hospital, but manufacturing employment has contracted. Many residents commute to nearby Carbondale, home to Southern Illinois University, the region's largest employer. Housing costs in the area are modest compared to state and national benchmarks, and the town has recently secured state and federal funding for housing rehabilitation as part of a broader downtown revitalization strategy. The community has a compact, walkable layout with civic life centered around the historic downtown along Walnut Street and Riverside Park, though most families rely on cars for daily travel.
Enrollment and demographic data provided. State assessments in grades three through five are reported; no data was available on free and reduced-price lunch eligibility, English learner identification, or special education enrollment. The school does not serve grades six through eight, so no results are available for those grades. No information was available on district-level curricular changes, staffing, or recent policy initiatives that might inform how the school approaches instruction.
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