Grand Ave Sch

Located at 1301 Grand Ave, in Beardstown, Illinois, Grand Ave Sch is a tight-knit elementary campus that works with 171 students (grade pre-K), part of Beardstown CUSD 15. That puts it 55% leaner than the typical public school in Illinois, which averages around 381 students.

Across the 3 schools in Beardstown CUSD 15 (1,702 students total), Grand Ave Sch accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, Grand Ave Sch reports that 36% of students identify as multiracial, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder looks like 26% Hispanic, 23% Black, 14% White.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Grand Ave Sch has 5 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 46.0:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 13.9:1 average. Around 55% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Cass County runs at roughly 69%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat below the surrounding baseline.

In the area at large, census data for Cass County shows median household income runs about $68,125, roughly 21% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 10%. Grand Ave Sch is one of 8 public schools in Cass County (combined enrollment of about 2,352 students).

Nearest neighbor: Gard Elementary School, around 0.6 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Grand Ave Sch.

The campus sits in a town-center setting.

Five-year trend. Over the past 6-year window, the student count increased 16%: 147 students in 2018 compared to 171 in 2024. The White share of enrollment edged down from 31% to 14% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio widened from 24.6:1 in 2018 to 34.2:1 today.

On allk12, 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.