Hartford Elem School

As a compact elementary campus in Hartford, Illinois, Hartford Elem School educates 172 students from grades pre-K through 5, overseen by Wood River-Hartford ESD 15. That puts it 55% below the typical public school in Illinois, which averages around 381 students.

Wood River-Hartford ESD 15 runs 3 schools in total, collectively educating 579 students. Hartford Elem School is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, Hartford Elem School lists that 79% of the student body identifies as White. The remainder breaks down as 11% multiracial, 5% Black, 5% Hispanic. That composition is broadly in line with Madison County as a whole.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Hartford Elem School has 12 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 14.1:1. The state averages about 13.9:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. About 73% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is noticeably above Madison County's rate of about 46%.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Hartford Elem School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 29.6% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 31.5%.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Madison County) records that median household earnings sit near $75,793, 31% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 8%. Across Madison County's 84 public schools (combined enrollment of about 35,253 students), Hartford Elem School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Roxana Sr High School, around 1.8 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. On composite proficiency, Hartford Elem School comes 5th of 7 in the immediate cluster, beneath the nearby-schools average of 33.8%.

Geographically, the school is in a commuter-belt area.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Hartford Elem School has fell 15%, going from 203 students in 2018 to 172 in 2025. The White share of enrollment fell from 86% to 79% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 20.0:1 in 2018 to 14.1:1 today.

On allk12, recent activity here tends to focus on classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.