The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in Science. The lowest is 10% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Waverly Jr/sr High School
Waverly Jr/Sr High School serves grades seven through twelve in a small rural town in southeastern Morgan County, about 26 to 30 miles southwest of Springfield. The school has a modest enrollment, with just over a hundred students spread across the six grades. The student body is predominantly white; other racial and ethnic groups make up a small share. Data on free-and-reduced-price lunch eligibility and special populations were not available.
The school's most recent state testing results show a pattern of weak performance in mathematics and reading. In seventh-grade math, the proficiency rate was low; eighth-grade math was even lower. Eighth-grade English language arts showed somewhat better results but still well below proficient. Science in eighth grade was the strongest area measured, with proficiency in the low-to-mid range. The school's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among the county's school districts. State testing data for high school grades and for fifth and sixth grades were not reported, likely because the state does not assess those grades in the same way or the school serves them in a different configuration.
Waverly itself is a compact, slowly declining town of roughly a thousand residents with an older population and mostly owner-occupied housing. A data center project approved by Sangamon County in April 2026 is expected to expand the area's property tax base substantially over time, with public projections suggesting tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue could eventually flow to Waverly CUSD 6 and neighboring North Mac, which may help stabilize local property tax bills in the future. The district's superintendent has cautioned that he will plan spending only once funds arrive. Until then, the district operates on its current base.
The school is housed at a standalone campus a few blocks from the downtown business district centered on Salter Park. Housing costs in the area are modest relative to state and national benchmarks. The mortgage market remains elevated, and the local labor market shows moderate unemployment with a median household income above the national average.
A parent weighing this school should understand it is a small rural jr/sr high with currently weak proficiency results in tested subjects, particularly math. The town is stable but aging, and growth is not anticipated near term. The data center project represents genuine upside potential for the district's finances, though the timing and magnitude of actual tax revenue remain uncertain. A parent may want to look into further with the school what support or intervention is in place to address the mathematics proficiency gap and what the district's trajectory looks like in the near term.
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