The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Math. The lowest is 56% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Pecatonica Elem School
Pecatonica Elementary School serves a small, stable community in northwestern Illinois, about a mile north of the state's Route 20 corridor and anchored within the village rather than on a separated campus. The school enrolls a mix of early learners through fourth grade—a total enrollment of roughly 330 students distributed across prekindergarten through fourth grade, with the largest cohort in second grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a small multiethnic population that includes students of Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial backgrounds. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data was not available in the records provided.
In Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) results from the most recent school year, third and fourth graders showed proficiency rates in the mid-to-upper range in both math and English language arts. In math, students in both grades reached similar levels of proficiency—around that seen in about three of five students in each grade meeting state standards. In ELA, fourth graders performed slightly higher than third graders, with the latter showing somewhat lower proficiency. All students who took the assessments participated, indicating full testing participation across grades tested. The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it above the midpoint among Winnebago County's districts in terms of academic performance.
Testing data for grades five and above is not available because the school serves only through fourth grade. The state also adjusted proficiency cut scores across subjects in the most recent year, so historical year-to-year comparisons are not reliable.
Pecatonica sits in a county where many districts span broader grade ranges and serve larger populations. This elementary school is small by design and purpose. The town itself has remained demographically and economically stable over two decades—not shrinking, not booming. Housing is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, and the median home age reflects an older stock that appeals to families seeking entry-level purchase prices. Manufacturing, retail, and health care are the main employment sectors locally, with many residents also commuting to jobs in nearby Rockford and Freeport.
The school building has been in place for many decades and sits integrated into the village, near the downtown business district on Main Street. The community includes a public library, parks with recreational facilities, and civic anchors like the Winnebago County Fairgrounds and Pecatonica Wetlands Forest Preserve, which offer outdoor recreation and events year-round. No major recent district-wide policy changes, curriculum initiatives, or infrastructure referenda that were passed into law were identified in available records, so the school continues under stable operational conditions. A parent seeking a small, traditional elementary school with solid foundational proficiency in a tight-knit village setting will find this environment intact.
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