The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Waverly Elementary School
Waverly Elementary is a small rural school serving prekindergarten through sixth grade in a town of declining population in southeastern Morgan County, Illinois. The school has a modest enrollment with substantial continuity through the elementary grades, a student body that is predominantly white and from long-standing local families, and serves a community where most families own their homes and a significant portion are older or retired residents.
The school's academic performance, based on the most recent state testing data, shows a consistent pattern of low proficiency across both English language arts and mathematics. In math, reported proficiency ranges from very low in fourth and fifth grades to around one-fifth in third and sixth grades. In ELA, proficiency rates are somewhat higher, clustered in the range of under one-fifth to over one-third, with third grade at the higher end and fifth grade at the lower. A single science assessment available for fifth grade shows proficiency in the low teens. State testing data for seventh and eighth grades is not reported, which reflects the school's configuration as a building that serves only through sixth grade.
Parents considering this school should be direct with school leaders about the low proficiency rates and ask specifically what interventions are in place for struggling students in math, where performance is particularly weak. The reasons behind these results are not apparent from available data alone, and understanding whether they reflect teaching approach, student composition, socioeconomic factors, or other causes would matter for any family decision. The school's small size means teachers and staff know families well, and there may be meaningful support available even where aggregate test results are low, but that would require direct conversation.
The setting itself is straightforwardly rural and small-town. Waverly has experienced population decline rather than growth, with a compact footprint built around a central business district anchored by Salter Park. The school sits a few blocks from downtown, not isolated but clearly on its own campus. Housing values in the area are modest compared to state and national benchmarks, and the local economy relies on a dispersed mix of agriculture, professional services, and the school district itself as an employer.
One concrete change on the horizon is the April 2026 approval by Sangamon County of a major data center project on farmland near Waverly, which the district superintendent and local officials believe could generate significant property tax revenue and potentially moderate property tax growth for the school district over time. This is not certain revenue but marks a real shift in the tax base that has attracted serious attention. Whether and when those revenues materialize remains an open question, but the project's approval is tangible.
The school's instructional program details, staffing ratios, disciplinary environment, and attendance patterns were not available in the data provided. Families would benefit from asking directly about class sizes, staff retention, special education services, and how the school approaches academic support for students not meeting proficiency targets. The state recently modified proficiency cut scores, which can affect year-to-year comparisons, so asking the school how they contextualize these test results in their own assessment practices would also be worth doing.
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