The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Fairview Elem School
Fairview Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Normal, Illinois, a college town built around Illinois State University. The school enrolled a small student body across seven grades, with the largest cohorts in the lower elementary grades and the smallest in fifth grade. Racially and ethnically, the enrollment is roughly balanced between white students and students of color, with the largest share Black students, followed by Hispanic, two or more races, and a small number of Asian and Native American students. Free or reduced price lunch eligibility data were not available.
The school's recent test results from the 2024-2025 school year show proficiency rates that are notably below the midpoint among the county's districts. In English language arts, third graders achieved proficiency at a moderate rate, fourth graders performed slightly better, and fifth graders showed the highest performance of the three grades tested. Math results were substantially lower across all grades. Third grade math proficiency was in the mid-range, fourth grade declined sharply, and fifth grade dropped further. In fifth grade science, about two in five students met proficiency. Test participation rates were very high, with near-universal participation. The state modified proficiency cut scores for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness in these subjects in 2024-2025, so year-over-year comparisons would not be reliable.
These results reflect a school in which roughly two in five students overall are meeting state proficiency benchmarks, placing Fairview in the bottom quartile relative to other schools serving comparable grades within McLean County. English language arts performance is stronger than mathematics, and performance tends to decline as students move through the upper elementary grades. A parent may want to discuss these trends with the school and ask what targeted interventions are underway to support proficiency growth, particularly in mathematics, and how the school is supporting students who are not yet meeting standards.
Normal is a mixed-use town centered on Illinois State University, with a walkable downtown (Uptown Normal) housing shops, restaurants, and civic institutions alongside residential neighborhoods and manufacturing. The area is in rapid growth driven by Illinois State and by Rivian's electric vehicle manufacturing plant, though housing has not kept pace with demand. Median home values in the area are moderate relative to state and national benchmarks. Major employers include the university, Rivian, Unit 5 Schools, Heartland Community College, and the town itself, alongside regional employers like State Farm Insurance and healthcare systems. The Constitution Trail, a former rail line turned multi-use path stretching roughly 40 miles, runs through Normal and connects to Bloomington, and the town earned a bronze Bicycle Friendly Community designation in 2023.
McLean County USD 5, the parent district, approved a significant property tax increase in 2023 after a first referendum failed, averting planned cuts to field trips, athletics, extracurriculars, and music. In 2025, county voters approved a sales tax dedicated to school facilities, mental health services, and school resource officers. The district also undertook a comprehensive enrollment and boundary study in 2025-2026, with the board voting in April 2026 on a plan that would adjust school boundaries, add new early learning capacity, and relieve crowding at several schools starting in 2027-2028. Currently enrolled students would be grandfathered, and renovation costs would be funded through bonds backed by the sales tax revenue rather than new property taxes. These shifts represent a material change in how the district funds facilities and services.
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