Okaw Valley Elementary School

Okaw Valley Elementary School, a cozy elementary school in Bethany, Illinois, operated by Okaw Valley CUSD 302, instructs 170 students, covering grades pre-K through 4. Compared to the state average of about 381 students per school, that is 55% smaller than typical.

Okaw Valley CUSD 302 comprises 3 schools with combined enrollment of 456 students; Okaw Valley Elementary School is among them.

Demographically, Okaw Valley Elementary School shows that nearly all students (98%) are White. That composition is broadly in line with Moultrie County as a whole.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Okaw Valley Elementary School has 16 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 10.7:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 13.9:1 average. Roughly 55% of students at Okaw Valley Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Okaw Valley Elementary School falls in the UNDERPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations residual. Given its student profile, a typical campus would land near 39.6%; this one comes in at 24.4%, -15.2 points off the demographic line.

Around the school, the surrounding county (Moultrie County) shows that median household income runs about $71,784, about 19% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 8%. Across Moultrie County's 6 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,628 students), Okaw Valley Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Okaw Valley High School, around 0.5 miles off. Within ten miles, there are 6 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Okaw Valley Elementary School at 9th of 9; the average score across the group is 42.3%.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Okaw Valley Elementary School's enrollment has fell 11% since 2018, when it stood at 191 (now 170). Class-load math has narrowed: from 12.2:1 in 2018 to 10.7:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Okaw Valley Elementary School typically covers sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.