The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Crestwood Jr High School
Crestwood Jr High School serves grades six through eight in Paris, Illinois, a small county seat in Edgar County with a mix of residential neighborhoods and a historic downtown anchored by a town square. The school is a regular public school operated by Paris CUSD 4, and it enrolls a small cohort, with roughly equal numbers across the three grades served. The student body is predominantly white, with very few students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Free-or-reduced-price-lunch data was not available, so a full picture of economic need is not present here.
On state assessments, Crestwood shows mixed results that vary meaningfully by grade and subject. In English language arts, the school's performance grows notably as students move up: sixth-grade proficiency in ELA is just above half, seventh-grade jumps to a strong level near the high end, and eighth-grade sits in the upper-middle range. Math results follow a different arc. Sixth grade starts very low, seventh grade climbs substantially to roughly half proficient, and eighth grade drops back to below one-third proficient. Science results, measured only at eighth grade, show weak proficiency. The school's overall proficiency index, averaging across subjects and tested grades, places it above the midpoint among the other districts in Edgar County. Test participation rates are consistently high, in the mid-to-high nineties across subjects and grades.
The school's profile reflects the grade span and small rural setting. No graduation rate or chronic absenteeism data apply because the school does not serve high school grades. Title I status and special-population counts (students with IEPs or English learners) were not provided, so it is unclear what academic supports may be in place or what proportion of students have identified learning needs.
The housing market in the Paris area is modest in absolute terms. Home values are below the state benchmark and well below the national average, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment for a median-priced home is affordable for families earning local incomes. Home values have declined slightly year-over-year, consistent with rural demographic trends across much of the Midwest.
Paris itself is a stable, working community with real economic activity. The city draws employment in manufacturing, health care, and retail, anchored by firms like North American Lighting (automotive lighting) and the Hospital & Medical Foundation. City officials describe Paris as in a new phase of industrial recruitment and development after significant growth in the 1980s. The population has been roughly flat to slowly declining, but the community is actively pursuing workforce housing and redevelopment. A parent considering Crestwood would be choosing a small-school environment in a town with modest housing costs, a long-standing civic core, and industrial employment that provides local economic foundation, set against softer overall student test performance in math and science where a reader may want to understand more about what instructional changes might be in progress.
See more original research from School Decision →