Cobden Elem School

Cobden Elem School is one of the low-enrollment elementary-level communitys in Cobden, Illinois, overseen by Cobden SUD 17, with 223 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 381 students per school, that is 41% smaller than typical.

Within Cobden SUD 17, which oversees 3 schools and 454 students, Cobden Elem School is one campus in the system.

In terms of who attends, Cobden Elem School shows that the largest single group is White, at 75% of enrollment. Beyond that, the school logs 23% Hispanic, 2% multiracial. That is visibly less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 90%.

On the income-and-resources front, Cobden Elem School reports 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 10.1:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting Cobden Elem School tighter than the state norm the norm. About 93% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is higher than Union County's rate of about 63%.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Cobden Elem School is in the OUTPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations model, which fits a per-state line through proficiency and FRL share. Schools with this campus's poverty mix typically land near 17.9%; this one delivers 46.9%, a residual of +29.0 points.

Zooming out to the county, community-level numbers for Union County indicate median household income runs about $55,728, roughly 21% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 12%. In all, Union County runs 18 public schools (combined enrollment of about 2,478 students), of which Cobden Elem School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Cobden High School, around 0.1 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Cobden Elem School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Cobden Elem School at 3rd of 8; the average score across the group is 45.1%.

The school occupies a low-density site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count expanded 5%: 213 students in 2018 compared to 223 in 2025. The White share of enrollment rose from 67% to 75% over that span.

On allk12, recent activity here tends to focus on science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.