The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Science. The lowest is 50% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Raymond Grade School
Raymond Grade School serves students in grades two through five in a small rural setting in northwestern Montgomery County, Illinois. The school has a small enrollment of around 120 students across four grades. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and a small number of multiracial students.
The school's recent test results show uneven proficiency across grade levels and subjects. In mathematics, third graders show modest proficiency, with fourth graders at a similar level, but fifth graders demonstrate stronger performance. In English language arts, the picture is more mixed: third graders score notably lower, fourth graders reach a moderate level, and fifth graders perform comparably. Science proficiency for the one tested grade, fifth, is around the midpoint. Test participation rates are high across grades, indicating full engagement with the assessment process.
When positioned among the four school districts in Montgomery County, Raymond Grade School's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile. This standing reflects the stronger upper-grade performance offsetting lower results in the younger grades.
The school sits within Panhandle CUSD 2, a small rural district currently navigating enrollment pressure and staffing challenges. In 2022, the district attempted to consolidate operations with neighboring Morrisonville CUSD 1, which would have shifted Raymond's students into a reconfigured grade structure. Panhandle voters supported the plan by a wide margin, but Morrisonville voters rejected it, so the consolidation did not occur. The failed referendum signals that enrollment decline and curriculum staffing losses remain live issues in the district. Parents may want to check with the district about any ongoing discussions of program consolidation or staffing changes, as these could affect the school's academic structure or course offerings in coming years.
Raymond is a village of modest size with a flat to declining population trajectory. It sits about 33 miles south of Springfield, in a farm-town setting surrounded by agricultural land. Housing values in the Raymond zip code are notably lower than both the Illinois state benchmark and the national benchmark, and mortgage affordability ratios suggest homes are priced at less than twice the median local income, making the area relatively affordable for families. The local economy centers on agriculture and the school district itself.
The school has no reported enrollment in free or reduced-price lunch programs and no disclosed counts for special education or English learner populations. Demographic composition, setting size, and the grade-span structure (elementary only, grades 2-5) are straightforward characteristics to understand. The gap between early-grade and upper-grade math and reading proficiency warrants further conversation with the school about instructional approach and student support strategies, particularly in third grade where both subjects show lower rates.
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