Scales Mound Elem School, Scales Mound IL

Original Research by School Decision on Scales Mound Elem School

Scales Mound Elementary School serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a tiny village in northwestern Illinois, housed together with the middle and high school grades in a single building that functions as the community's primary anchor. The school's enrollment is small, with families distributed across early childhood and elementary grades.

Academic performance shows a mixed profile across the tested grades. In third grade, mathematics proficiency is solid, while English language arts proficiency is considerably lower. Fourth grade reverses that pattern, with strong reading results but lower math performance. By fifth grade, the school reports moderate proficiency in reading and science, with mathematics proficiency dropping noticeably. The shift downward in math from third to fifth grade may be worth discussing with the school, particularly around transition points and instructional continuity. State testing data does not extend beyond fifth grade at this school; grades six through eight are served but testing results are not reported, likely because those grades are enrolled in the district's combined middle-high school building rather than at this elementary campus.

The school serves an overwhelmingly white student population. Free and reduced lunch data and special education enrollment figures were not available in state reporting. The environment is decidedly rural and small-town; Scales Mound itself is a village of modest size where the school is among the largest employers and serves as a community focal point. Families in the area tend to work in manufacturing, construction, and service sectors, with many commuting to nearby towns. Housing values in the area are below state and national benchmarks, making it an affordable market.

Positioned against other districts in Jo Daviess County, Scales Mound's overall proficiency index sits below the county midpoint. This is a straightforward characterization of the data rather than a judgment; parents may want to ask the school directly about specific supports available in mathematics and literacy, particularly around the upper elementary grades where performance dips.

The district brief search found no major recent operational changes with clear parent impact, such as referendums, tax shifts, or new curriculum initiatives. The school operates as a traditional public elementary school with no charter or magnet designation.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 378%

School 78% · District 78%

▲ 32 pts above state median

Grade 471%

School 71% · District 71%

▲ 34 pts above state median

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 40%

▲ 10 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 344%

School 44% · District 44%

even with state median

Grade 482%

School 82% · District 82%

▲ 34 pts above state median

Grade 567%

School 67% · District 67%

▲ 15 pts above state median

Science

Grade 560%

School 60% · District 60%

▲ 23 pts above state median

This schoolScales Mound CUSD 211, 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.