The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in English language arts. The lowest is 35% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Taylorville Jr High School
Taylorville Jr High School serves students in grades five through eight from a school of moderate size. The building draws from a small county-seat city in rural Central Illinois, about midway between Springfield and the state's borders, where housing is affordable and employment centers on health care, manufacturing, and retail trade. The school sits on the residential grid that spreads from the historic courthouse downtown, in a community with strong civic anchors in parks and library but no public transit.
Across the most recent testing year, reading and language proficiency ran considerably stronger than mathematics. In language arts, students in seventh and eighth grade showed proficiency rates well above the midpoint across the county's districts. Fifth and sixth grade language arts also cleared the county median. Mathematics proficiency was lower. In fifth grade math, performance sat well below the county median. Sixth grade math fell further. Seventh and eighth grade math performed closer to the county average, positioning the school in the top quartile on an overall proficiency index that blends all tested subjects and grades. Science testing showed modest proficiency in fifth grade and more solid gains by eighth grade. The school tests at very high participation rates across all grades and subjects, indicating strong attendance on test days.
The enrollment is balanced across the four grade bands, with a roughly even distribution of students per grade. Demographically, the student body is predominantly white, with a small representation of students across other racial and ethnic categories. Data on free and reduced-price lunch eligibility and on special education and English learner populations were not available, so a reader cannot see from these figures how economically diverse or how supported students with learning differences are.
The district recently adopted a new literacy curriculum, the Tornado Literacy Plan, which brought tiered reading materials, phonics instruction, and small-group work alongside teacher training across elementary grades. This represents a substantive shift in how early reading is taught and has been tied to rising proficiency numbers. The high school, separately, moved from the SAT to the ACT as its standardized college-prep test, affecting how juniors are assessed for college admission going forward.
Strength in language arts, especially in the upper-middle grades, is a clear asset. The overall proficiency position places the school in the top quartile among county districts. Mathematics proficiency, particularly in the fifth and sixth grades, sits noticeably lower and may warrant attention from families concerned with math skill-building in those years. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, including what support or intervention is available for students who do not reach proficiency. The school's high test participation and consistent testing across all grades suggest strong operational stability and attendance.
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