New Central Elem School

New Central Elem School operates as a close-knit primary school in Havana, Illinois, overseen by Havana CUSD 126. Current enrollment sits at 286 students spanning grades K through 4. Enrollment runs roughly 25% leaner than the state mean of about 381.

Across the 3 schools in Havana CUSD 126 (819 students total), New Central Elem School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, New Central Elem School logs that nearly all students (90%) are White. The remainder is composed of 8% multiracial.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 24 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.0:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.9:1, putting New Central Elem School tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 56% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), New Central Elem School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 39.2%; this one delivers 38.2%.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Mason County shows median household earnings sit near $62,845, roughly 17% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. New Central Elem School is one of 9 public schools in Mason County (combined enrollment of about 2,124 students).

The closest other public school is Havana High School, roughly 0.5 miles away. 2 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts New Central Elem School at 3rd of 9; the average score across the group is 33.0%.

New Central Elem School operates from a countryside location.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 11%: 320 students in 2018 compared to 286 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share fell from 96% to 90%.

On the community side, 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.