The top reported proficiency rate is 23% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Dr Maude a Sanders Primary School
Dr. Maude A Sanders Primary School is a regular public elementary school in Peoria serving kindergarten through fourth grade, with a small fifth-grade presence. The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly Black, with smaller shares of students from Hispanic, multiracial, and white backgrounds, and very few Asian students. The enrollment is small to moderate for its grade band. Socioeconomic data on free-or-reduced-price lunch and counts of students with individualized education plans or English learners were not available.
The school's state test performance is below typical for the county. On the 2024-25 Illinois Assessment of Readiness, proficiency in math ranged from roughly one in eight fourth graders to roughly one in four third graders. In English language arts, proficiency was similarly low, with about one in four third graders and roughly one in six fourth graders meeting grade-level standards. These results reflect a broader pattern across Peoria schools; the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the county's districts. Science testing data was either suppressed or not available for the grades this school serves. Test results are one snapshot; a parent may want to look into the school's instructional approach and support systems in more detail with administrators.
The timing is worth noting. In April 2026, Peoria SD 150 approved a major shift in elementary reading instruction, replacing the longstanding K-5 curriculum with science-of-reading-aligned materials from Curriculum Associates and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This is a district-wide pivot back to phonics and evidence-based literacy practice, explicitly designed to address the fact that a substantial share of the district's third through eighth graders were not reading at grade level. This change will shape instruction for years. For families considering this school, the new curriculum is both a recognition that current outcomes need improvement and a concrete step intended to address that need.
Peoria itself is a mid-sized Illinois city undergoing selective redevelopment rather than rapid growth. The housing market is in a historically tight phase, with inventory low and median listing prices showing modest year-over-year appreciation. Rental prices remain relatively stable. The city is anchored by major employers in healthcare and manufacturing, particularly OSF Healthcare and Caterpillar, and has a downtown core and riverfront area that have attracted reinvestment, alongside car-oriented residential neighborhoods. The West Bluff neighborhood has historic architecture and independent retail; North Peoria draws families seeking newer construction. CityLink public transit connects eight communities and serves schools across the region.
The school's location on West Forrest Hill Avenue places it in the city proper, accessible by the transit system. Readers considering enrollment should balance the school's current test results against the recent curriculum adoption aimed at improving reading proficiency, and should speak directly with school leadership about instructional practices, support services for students below grade level, and the rollout of the new literacy program.
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