The top reported proficiency rate is 63% in English language arts. The lowest is 44% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hudson Elem School
Hudson Elementary serves a small enrollment drawn from the village of Hudson and surrounding rural areas in the northwest corner of McLean County. The school spans kindergarten through grade 5, with a total enrollment across those grades, roughly balanced across most grade levels with a slightly larger fifth-grade cohort. The student body is predominantly white, with a small share of students from Black, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial backgrounds. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data was not available, so family income characteristics cannot be assessed from this profile.
The school's recent state test results show uneven performance across grades and subjects. In mathematics, third-grade proficiency sits around the midpoint of possible performance, fourth grade performs well, but fifth grade shows weaker results. In English language arts, proficiency ranges from the low-to-mid range in third grade through the mid-50s in fifth grade. Science testing data is available only for fifth grade, where proficiency is in the low-40s. Overall, Hudson Elementary's proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it above the midpoint among McLean County school districts, but the variance within the school—notably the drop in performance at fifth grade in both math and reading—suggests students experience differing levels of support as they progress through the grades. A parent may want to look into what instructional or resource differences exist between grade levels.
The school sits in Hudson proper, a small, predominantly residential village of fewer than a few thousand residents located about ten miles north of Bloomington-Normal. Hudson functions as a bedroom community while retaining a rural character and a few local businesses. The village has modest parks with recreation facilities, proximity to Lake Bloomington and COMLARA Park for outdoor activity, and a public library. Housing values in the area are below the Illinois state benchmark and afford reasonable monthly carrying costs, making it an accessible option for families seeking a small-town setting within commuting distance of the larger metro.
McLean County Unit 5, the district serving Hudson Elementary, has navigated significant funding transitions in recent years. After two attempts, voters approved an increased education property tax rate in April 2023, which averted planned cuts to field trips, athletics, extracurriculars, and music programs. In April 2025, county voters approved a school facilities sales tax expected to generate substantial revenue for facility improvements, mental health services, and school resource officers, with one-third of revenue directed to property-tax reduction. The district completed a comprehensive boundary and enrollment study in 2025-2026; though the resulting plan affects multiple schools across the district with changes to begin in the 2027-28 school year, Hudson Elementary is not mentioned as a focus of those boundary shifts.
State testing measures every student who takes the assessment, so participation rates are uniformly reported as complete. Illinois changed its proficiency cut scores for the IAR assessments effective this year, so comparisons to prior years are not available in the data.
Hudson Elementary is a traditional public school with no special magnet or charter designation. Its profile as a rural small-town elementary serving early grades means it offers foundational instruction in core subjects but likely lacks the specialized programs—such as advanced courses, career pathways, or extensive electives—typical of larger or secondary schools. The read here is one of a solid small-town school with community roots, modest but variable academic performance, and access to a quiet residential setting and natural amenities. Whether this fit depends on what a family prioritizes: stability in a tight-knit environment, modest academic performance that may require close parental engagement or tutoring at certain grade levels, and a rural or semi-rural lifestyle.
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