Bethel Grade School

Bethel Grade School operates as a low-enrollment elementary campus in Mount Vernon, Illinois, part of Bethel SD 82. Current enrollment sits at 154 students spanning grades pre-K through 8. That puts it 60% below the typical public school in Illinois, which averages around 381 students.

Operationally, Bethel Grade School answers to Bethel SD 82, which sets policy, hires staff, and reports enrollment to the state.

In terms of who attends, Bethel Grade School lists that nearly all students (84%) are White. Other groups include 9% Hispanic, 4% multiracial, 3% Black. Compared to Jefferson County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

On the income-and-resources front, Bethel Grade School lists 13 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 11.5:1. The state averages around 13.9:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 77% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. That share is noticeably above Jefferson County's rate of about 60%.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Bethel Grade School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 27.3%; this one delivers 39.1%.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Jefferson County put the typical household earns roughly $63,118 per year, 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 11%. Across Jefferson County's 31 public schools (combined enrollment of about 5,314 students), Bethel Grade School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Mount Vernon High School, around 2.4 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Bethel Grade School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Bethel Grade School at 2nd of 8; the average score across the group is 30.6%.

The campus sits in a countryside setting.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Bethel Grade School has shrank 18%, going from 188 students in 2018 to 154 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 76% to 84% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 16.6:1 in 2018 to 11.5:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.