Illini Central Grade School

Illini Central Grade School, a modestly sized elementary-level community in Mason City, Illinois, operated by Illini Central CUSD 189, hosts 264 students, covering grades K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 31% below the state mean of about 381.

Illini Central Grade School is one of 4 schools operated by Illini Central CUSD 189, a district that works with 640 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Illini Central Grade School reports that nearly all students (93%) are White. The remainder looks like 3% Hispanic, 3% multiracial. Compared to Mason County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 10.1:1 students per teacher. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 13.9:1 average. Roughly 58% of students at Illini Central Grade School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

After controlling for student poverty, Illini Central Grade School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 38.0%; this one delivers 32.9%.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Mason County put the typical household earns roughly $62,845 per year, about 17% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 11%. Illini Central Grade School is one of 9 public schools in Mason County (combined enrollment of about 2,124 students).

Illini Central Middle School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 3 other public schools. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Illini Central Grade School ranks 7th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 39.9%.

The campus sits in an outlying setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Illini Central Grade School has contracted 8%, going from 287 students in 2018 to 264 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Illini Central Grade School typically covers sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.