The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School serves second and third grade students in Pontiac, a small county-seat city in central Illinois. The school sits within Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429, which houses grades across four buildings: Lincoln handles grades two and three, with Central serving pre-K through first grade, Washington covering fourth and fifth grade, and Pontiac Junior High handling middle school.
The school's enrollment is small, with slightly more second graders than third graders. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller proportion of Hispanic students and a handful of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility data was not available, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about the economic composition of families served.
In terms of academic performance, third grade results show lower proficiency levels in both English language arts and math. The proficiency rate in math is particularly low, while ELA proficiency, though slightly higher, still reflects a narrow slice of the cohort meeting state standards. State testing applies only to third grade at this school since second grade is not assessed under Illinois's accountability system. Fourth through eighth grade results are not shown because Lincoln does not serve those grades; students move on to Washington Elementary for fourth and fifth grade, then to Pontiac Junior High for middle school grades.
When comparing Lincoln's third grade proficiency to other schools in Livingston County, the school sits in the bottom quartile overall, meaning students are performing below where most other tested schools in the county are performing. A parent may want to look into this further with the school and district to understand what reading and math support structures are in place and what progress the school is making year to year.
The broader context of Pontiac is stable. The city is anchored by downtown civic life centered on the historic courthouse square, with walkable districts, free splash pads, parks, and summer concerts. Housing is affordable compared to state and national medians, though employment has declined modestly in recent years. Schools are organized as separate buildings across grades rather than as a consolidated campus. The district brief found no major recent policy shifts or new programs in the schools, so instructional approaches and scheduling appear consistent with prior years.
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