The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Dirksen Elementary School
Dirksen Elementary is a kindergarten-through-third-grade school in Pekin, Illinois, serving a small enrollment. The school sits in a mid-sized Illinois River city that is actively pursuing mixed residential, commercial, and industrial growth, with new housing developments, revitalized downtown corridors, and regional employers including a major ethanol facility, Carle Health Pekin Hospital, Pekin Insurance, and manufacturing operations. The housing market shows active demand and rising prices, with median listing prices climbing noticeably over the past year; the Pekin Park District provides extensive public green space and civic programming anchored by Mineral Springs Park.
State assessment data for third grade, the only grade band Dirksen tests under Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), shows proficiency rates in both math and English language arts well below the middle of the county comparison set. This is factual and worth noting plainly. The school tested a small cohort of third graders on IAR; state testing does not apply to kindergarten through second grade, which is why no results appear for those grades. Participation in testing was strong.
The school's enrollment is small and stable across its four grades, with students overwhelmingly identifying as white, and a small share identifying as Hispanic or multiracial. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and on students receiving special education or English learner services were not made available. The student body is not racially or economically diverse relative to many schools, though the available demographic snapshot is limited.
Dirksen is part of Pekin PSD 108, which serves the broader city and surrounding area. Notably, the district participates in the federal Community Eligibility Provision, meaning all enrolled students receive free breakfast and lunch daily with no application. This is a straightforward and recurring household benefit. The district is also rolling out standards-based grading and reporting at the intermediate level starting in the 2025-2026 school year, a reporting change that parents of students moving to the intermediate schools will encounter.
Pekin itself offers the infrastructure and community anchors of a functioning mid-sized city: public bus transit through CityLink, the Pekin Public Library (recognized for community programming), and an active parks system. The city is in a period of growth, with new residential development, downtown revitalization efforts along Court Street, and mixed-use projects underway. Local realtors describe a tight market with more buyers than available homes, and property values are appreciating. For families evaluating whether this location fits, the housing market is active but inventory-constrained, and the school's small, predominantly white student population and weak state assessment results in the tested grade are characteristics to weigh carefully.
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