The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 26% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on North Clay Elem/jr High Sch
North Clay Elementary/Junior High School serves pre-K through grade eight in Louisville, a small rural village in Clay County that functions as the county seat. The school is situated on Route 45 on the south edge of town, part of a rural campus setting that includes the high school. It is a regular public school in the North Clay CUSD 25 district and currently serves a student population of moderate size for its grade band.
The student body is predominantly white, with a small share of Hispanic students and very few students of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Enrollment is fairly distributed across the grade span, with slightly larger cohorts in the pre-K, second grade, and eighth grade. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and students with disabilities or English learners was not available in the school's profile, so a parent may want to reach out directly to the school for those details.
Academic performance across state assessments reveals mixed results that vary considerably by grade and subject. In English language arts, fourth graders perform comparatively well, at roughly the midpoint or above among tested grades. Performance drops sharply starting in fifth grade and remains weak through eighth grade, with results in the lower range. Math proficiency is similarly uneven. Third and fourth graders show moderate results, but fifth grade drops off, sixth grade reaches very low levels, seventh grade rebounds somewhat, and eighth grade falls again to low levels. Science testing was conducted in fifth and eighth grades; both show low proficiency rates. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the three comparison districts in Clay County, though the pattern across individual grades suggests that students struggle most noticeably in the middle school years, particularly in mathematics beginning in grade six.
The district is actively reshaping its physical infrastructure through a multi-phase Renovation and Improvement Project. Phase one, completed in summer 2023, replaced the elementary building's roof and HVAC system. Phase two bids were approved in March 2024 and are targeting three areas identified through community input: safety and security improvements such as enclosed corridors linking the campus buildings and a more secure main entry point to the high school; upgraded learning spaces, especially for vocational and career-technical education; and new student activity spaces including an event gymnasium, locker rooms, and weight room. This construction represents a substantial, lasting change to the school environment and reflects the district's commitment to modernizing facilities for current and future students.
Louisville itself is a small, aging rural settlement. The village population has declined modestly over the past several years, and the surrounding Clay County has also shrunk. The housing market in the area is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks. The local economy centers on county government, the school system itself, a small state bank, and the agricultural base of corn, soybeans, and livestock that characterizes the surrounding countryside. The schools are set apart from the historic downtown civic core, which revolves around the Clay County Courthouse on Broadway Street. U.S. Route 45, the main through-road, connects Louisville north to Effingham and south to Flora. No public library or municipal parks were identified within the village itself.
A parent considering this school should understand that it serves a rural, predominantly white community with modest economic means and a slowly declining population. Academic performance, while above the county median overall, is uneven by grade level, with particular weakness in middle school mathematics and science. The district's visible investment in facility improvements suggests institutional commitment, though a parent may want to discuss with the school how it is addressing the academic performance gaps, particularly in the middle grades.
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