The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 25% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincolnwood Jr High School
Lincolnwood Jr High School serves grades six through eight in Raymond, a small agricultural village in northwestern Montgomery County, about 30 miles south of Springfield. The school is part of Panhandle Community Unit School District 2, a rural district operating four schools across a cluster of small towns. The junior high sits in a consolidated facility shared with Lincolnwood Sr High School on the east side of Prairie Street, within the compact village itself rather than on a separated campus.
The school enrolls a small cohort, with roughly equal representation across the three grades. Student composition is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population; no data was available on free-or-reduced-price lunch rates, special education enrollment, or English learner populations. Overall state assessment participation rates are high, consistently above 95% across tested grades and subjects, a strength reflecting reliable family engagement and attendance.
Academic performance in mathematics is weak across all grades tested. In grade 6, about one-quarter of students met proficiency; in grade 7, roughly the same share; in grade 8, one-fifth. These figures place Lincolnwood in the bottom quartile of Montgomery County schools on overall proficiency. The pattern is uneven in English language arts. Grade 6 shows strong performance with roughly two-thirds of students proficient, but grades 7 and 8 drop sharply: grade 7 at roughly one-third and grade 8 at about one-quarter. Science testing occurs only in grade 8 (grade 5 results were unavailable), where about two-fifths of students met proficiency. The variance between grade 6 ELA strength and weakness in other subjects and grades warrants attention; a parent may want to look into this further with the school and ask about curriculum continuity, staffing, or other factors that might explain the sharp drop-off from sixth to seventh and eighth grade.
The school operates in a district facing significant structural strain. In 2022, Panhandle voters approved a referendum to deactivate the junior high and merge with neighboring Morrisonville, paired with a plan for Morrisonville high schoolers to attend Lincolnwood. Morrisonville voters rejected the proposal, so the deactivation did not occur and Lincolnwood Jr High remains open. However, the vote was prompted by enrollment decline and documented curriculum losses. The district has lost computer, English, mathematics, band, and special education staff since that time, with continued staffing gaps expected. This context matters: the school's future structure remains uncertain, and curriculum and support capacity are under pressure. Parents considering this school should view it as operating in an environment where further consolidation discussions are likely.
Housing in the Raymond area is modestly valued relative to state and national benchmarks, and the village population is flat to slightly declining. The broader economy is agricultural; the school district itself is a major local employer. The community is rural and stable but contracting. For families committed to a very small, tight-knit junior high in a farm-town setting, and willing to address the mathematics proficiency gap, Lincolnwood exists. For families seeking rising academic momentum or expanding course breadth, the current staffing and enrollment climate presents risk. State testing data are current; no multi-year trend data were available to show whether performance is stable, improving, or declining further.
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