Thomas Jefferson Elem School, Milan IL

Original Research by School Decision on Thomas Jefferson Elem School

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is a regular public elementary school serving young learners from pre-K through 6th grade in Milan, a small residential village on the southern edge of the Quad Cities. The school sits within Rock Island SD 41, a district currently undergoing substantive curriculum and infrastructure changes that will affect every family's experience.

The school enrolls a moderately sized, ethnically diverse student body. The majority of students are white, though the school also serves meaningful populations of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility data was not available in the records reviewed. Kindergarten through 6th grade classes run at steady sizes, with 6th graders making up the school's oldest cohort.

On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Thomas Jefferson shows weak proficiency across both math and English language arts. In math, proficiency rates decline as grades progress: 3rd grade sits slightly above where you'd expect for a school of this type, but by 4th grade the rate drops sharply and remains low through 6th grade. English language arts proficiency is similarly low in the lower grades, though 6th grade shows a relative uptick. In the one science assessment given (5th grade), proficiency was low as well. A parent may want to look into what instructional supports the school is putting in place to address these gaps, particularly in middle elementary grades where students build foundational skills.

The good news is that the district has recently adopted structured, science-of-reading-aligned literacy curricula across K-8, rolled out a districtwide "Reading Revolution" initiative designed to increase daily, structured reading time, and moved several of its schools up at least one accountability rating on the state report card. Thomas Jefferson sits in the middle of these districtwide efforts, so families should expect visible changes to how reading is taught. Whether that translates to measurable gains for this particular school remains to be seen, but the curriculum foundation is now in place.

Milan itself is an affordable, stable housing market with a flat population, home to the massive John Deere Parts Distribution Center and a quiet mix of older established neighborhoods and newer townhome clusters. The village offers parks, a riverwalk along the Rock River, and bus service. Importantly, families considering the area should know that Rock Island SD 41 is actively evaluating school consolidations as part of a facilities management plan. The district owns 14 schools with an average age of several decades, and the superintendent has publicly stated there is an opportunity to consolidate schools to a better size for enrollment. This means boundary shifts and possible school closures are a real possibility over the next several years. Parking and drop-off changes are already planned for Washington, Jefferson, and Earl Hanson elementary schools, along with security and ADA upgrades. A parent moving to Milan should plan conversations with the district about facility changes and their timing.

Thomas Jefferson serves its grade band with standard elementary programming. Specific information about special education services, English learner supports, or specialist staff was not available. The school's proficiency results reflect a student population that on state measures is currently significantly below the state baseline. That positioning, paired with the district's recent literacy curriculum pivot and the ongoing facilities consolidation conversation, creates both a period of instructional change and a period of organizational uncertainty. Families should weigh that context as they consider this school.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 341%

School 41% · District 34% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 28% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 16% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 629%

School 29% · District 19% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 31% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 429%

School 29% · District 30% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 535%

School 35% · District 27% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▼ 17 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 39% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Science

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 19% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

This schoolRock Island SD 41, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.