Beecher City Grade School

Beecher City Grade School is an elementary-level community of intimate scale in Beecher City, Illinois, part of Beecher City CUSD 20, hosting 196 students in grades pre-K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 49% smaller than the state mean of about 381.

Within Beecher City CUSD 20, which oversees 2 schools and 361 students, Beecher City Grade School is one campus in the system.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Beecher City Grade School reports that nearly all students (96%) are White. Other groups include 4% multiracial. That mix tracks the wider county fairly closely.

Looking at school resources, Beecher City Grade School records 15 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.2:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting Beecher City Grade School tighter than the state norm the norm. About 49% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Effingham County runs at roughly 37%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Beecher City Grade School performs roughly as the BeatsExpectations model predicts for a school with this FRL share. The predicted value is around 42.9%, the actual is 51.9%, a residual of +8.9 points.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Effingham County shows median household earnings sit near $80,404, roughly 27% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Beecher City Grade School is one of 18 public schools in Effingham County (combined enrollment of about 5,063 students).

Nearest neighbor: Beecher City Jr-Sr High School, around 0.7 miles off. Within ten miles, there are 4 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Beecher City Grade School at 3rd of 9; the average score across the group is 45.7%.

The school occupies a rural site.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count expanded 37%: 143 students in 2018 compared to 196 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.