The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in English language arts. The lowest is 36% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Red Bud Elem School
Red Bud Elementary School serves a mixed-grade population from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in a small Illinois city southeast of St. Louis. The school is the main educational hub for Red Bud Community Unit School District 132, drawing most of the district's students into a single building that serves the central town and its surrounding area in Randolph County.
The school completed a substantial facility expansion in 2023, adding a new gymnasium and dedicated spaces for band, chorus, music, STEM, and art instruction. This construction reflects intentional investment in both athletic and arts programming alongside core academics, expanding what the school can offer beyond the traditional classroom setting.
State testing results from the most recent year show an uneven performance picture across grade levels and subjects. In English language arts, the school demonstrates strength in the upper middle grades, with seventh and eighth graders reaching proficiency at above-average rates. Third and fourth graders also show solid proficiency in ELA. Reading comprehension appears to be a relative strength for the school's students. Mathematics proficiency is more scattered. Third grade shows decent performance, and seventh grade shows middling results, but fourth through sixth grades fall well below state expectations, with sixth grade particularly weak. Science results are limited to two tested grades: fifth and eighth grade science proficiency sits below midpoint benchmarks. The school participates fully in state testing; participation rates are at or near complete across all grades tested.
The student body of about six hundred is predominantly white, with small shares of Hispanic and multiracial students and very few Black or Asian students. Demographic breakdowns for students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and for English learners are not available, so a parent seeking that context should ask the school directly. The student population is stable rather than growing, spanning ten grade levels.
When Red Bud Elementary is compared to other school buildings in Randolph County public districts, its overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, anchored partly by ELA strength in upper grades. This is a meaningful position, though district-level context is limited. The county itself is small, so the comparison universe is modest.
The town of Red Bud is a small city undergoing deliberate industrial and commercial expansion rather than sprawling residential growth. Housing values are below the state benchmark and carry a price-to-income ratio suggesting moderate affordability for the area. The city is investing in infrastructure, including a light industrial park and expansion of the local Southwestern Illinois College campus to include a new career and technical education facility, signaling a local economy oriented toward manufacturing, healthcare, and skilled trades. Downtown Red Bud retains historic character and some walkability, though the city overall is car-dependent.
The school's position is that of a comprehensive neighborhood school with recent facility upgrades and a mixed academic profile. Families considering Red Bud Elementary should weigh that the newer spaces and expanded arts and STEM options reflect district commitment to broader programming, while recognizing that mathematics proficiency in the middle grades is an area where the school is trailing and may be worth discussing directly with staff about support pathways and instructional approach.
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