Locust Elem School

Locust Elem School is one of the moderately sized elementary-level communitys in Marengo, Illinois, overseen by Marengo-Union E Cons D 165, with 501 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 3. That puts it 31% larger than the typical public school in Illinois, which averages around 381 students.

Locust Elem School is one of 3 schools operated by Marengo-Union E Cons D 165, a district that instructs 1,092 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Locust Elem School shows that 57% of the student body identifies as White. Other groups include 35% Hispanic, 6% multiracial. That is noticeably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 80%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Locust Elem School has 35 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 14.4:1. That tracks the state average closely. An estimated 55% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. That share is above McHenry County's rate of about 35%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Locust Elem School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 39.5% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 51.9%.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (McHenry County) shows that median household earnings sit near $104,802, roughly 35% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 4%. Across McHenry County's 89 public schools (combined enrollment of about 50,123 students), Locust Elem School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Marengo Comm Middle School, roughly 0.3 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 4 other public schools cluster around Locust Elem School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Locust Elem School at 4th of 9; the average score across the group is 51.4%.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged up 5%: 477 students in 2018 compared to 501 in 2025. The White share of enrollment fell from 69% to 57% over that span.

Within the allk12 community for this school, recent activity here tends to focus on school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Members of the school community can share what they know.