The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 20% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hines Primary School
Hines Primary School serves kindergarten through fourth grade in Peoria and enrolls a school of moderate size for its grade band. The enrollment is distributed across the five grade levels, with a substantial majority of the student body identifying as Black, a smaller share as white or multiracial, and smaller numbers of students identifying as Hispanic or Asian. Race and ethnicity information was available, but specific data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, students with IEPs, and English learners were not available.
The school's state test results, reported on Illinois's IAR assessment, show weak proficiency in both math and English language arts across the tested grades. In math, proficiency in third grade is in the low range, and fourth grade is similarly low. In English language arts, third grade shows low proficiency and fourth grade shows slightly higher but still low performance. Grade five and above produce no state test data because the school does not serve those grades. The school's overall proficiency level, calculated across its tested subjects and grades, places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Peoria County. Test participation rates in the grades tested were high, indicating that students took the assessments.
A major shift affecting the school and the entire district is underway: in April 2026, the school board approved a substantial investment in new K-5 reading materials aligned with the science of reading, replacing curriculum in place for years. The new materials include phonics-based programs from Curriculum Associates and HMH for kindergarten through fifth grade, marking a district-wide turn back to evidence-based literacy instruction. This change is direct and significant, since available state data showed that a substantial share of students in grades three through eight across the district were not reading at grade level. For families enrolling now or considering the school, this curriculum change represents both an acknowledgment of past reading performance challenges and a clear instructional pivot aimed at improving literacy outcomes going forward. A parent may want to ask the school about implementation timelines and early results as the new materials take hold.
Peoria itself is a mid-sized Illinois city with a mix of historic and newer neighborhoods. The area's economy is anchored by healthcare and heavy manufacturing, with OSF Healthcare and Caterpillar as major employers. The housing market shows moderate inventory and active redevelopment focused on downtown and the Warehouse District, with some new affordable housing projects underway on the South Side. Median home values in the area are substantially below the state benchmark. The city has a real downtown, a riverfront, public transit via CityLink, and institutional anchors like Bradley University and Illinois Central College, but walkability is concentrated in specific districts rather than citywide.
Hines Primary School's weak proficiency in both math and reading warrants direct conversation with the school. Given that the district has just committed to a major literacy curriculum overhaul, families should understand where the school stands in implementing those materials, what early progress looks like if any, and what support the school is providing to students who are behind. The school serves a student body that is predominantly Black and reflects the demographics of a neighborhood in Peoria's urban core. For families drawn to the school's location or catchment area, the new curriculum is a meaningful development worth tracking closely over the next year or two.
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