The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in English language arts. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Colonel George Iles Elem Sch
Colonel George Iles Elementary is a small K-5 school serving about half a thousand students in Quincy, a historic Mississippi River city in west-central Illinois. The school sits in north Quincy, in a neighborhood characterized by both older residential areas and newer subdivision development near Quincy High School.
The school's student body is predominantly white, with a meaningful presence of multiracial students and smaller numbers of Black and Hispanic students. The demographic makeup reflects Quincy itself, a city with deep German and riverboat-era heritage that has been in active growth mode, with new retail development downtown and housing expansion on the edges. Enrollment appears stable across the grade span, with all grades represented in reasonable numbers from kindergarten through fifth grade.
State test results from the most recent year show math and English language arts proficiency roughly between the low-thirties and mid-fifties percent range depending on grade, with fourth-grade ELA running slightly ahead. Fifth-grade science proficiency was in the mid-thirties. These are below-average results by state standards. When compared against the other districts in Adams County, the school's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint of district performance in the county. A parent may want to look into the school's approach to academic support and intervention with the school directly, particularly in math, where proficiency has been a softer area across the grade levels.
The district implemented a substantial curriculum change for the 2024-25 school year, adopting Benchmark Workshop for literacy and Reveal Math across all K-5 elementary schools, replacing the prior balanced-literacy approach and Everyday Math program. This is a meaningful pedagogical shift that affects how every student learns to read and solve problems. If you have strong preferences about reading or math instruction methods, this recent adoption is worth discussing with the school.
The district's property tax rate has trended downward in recent years, staying well below the cap pledged with the building referendum, which matters for families considering housing costs in the area.
Quincy itself is experiencing visible growth and reinvestment. Downtown, branded "The District," has attracted roughly two dozen new businesses in recent years and completed a rebuilt 6th Street Promenade in 2024. Retail expansion has included Target, Planet Fitness, and other chains. Housing inventory has tightened, and the city is exploring zoning reforms and parking policy changes to add supply. The broader region relies on Blessing Hospital, Knapheide Manufacturing, and various employers anchored around retail and services. Walkability is concentrated in the historic downtown and neighborhoods; most of the city is car-oriented. Public transit via Quincy Transit Lines serves fixed routes and paratransit, and an Amtrak station offers two daily round trips. Parks line the city's eastern edge along the river, and Washington Park downtown hosts farmers markets and summer concerts.
For families choosing Colonel George Iles, the key considerations are the current proficiency results and whether the new K-5 curriculum aligns with your teaching philosophy, alongside the school's size, north-Quincy location, and the broader growth trajectory and housing market character of Quincy itself.
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