Reed-Custer Elementary School

Reed-Custer Elementary School operates as a sprawling K-5 school in Braidwood, Illinois, operated by Reed Custer CUSD 255U. Current enrollment sits at 690 students spanning grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 81% larger than the typical public school in Illinois, which averages around 381 students.

Reed Custer CUSD 255U runs 3 schools in total, collectively educating 1,393 students. Reed-Custer Elementary School is one of those campuses.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Reed-Custer Elementary School shows that 82% of students identify as White, making the school strongly White-majority. The remainder comes out to 13% Hispanic, 5% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 62% White, putting the school's mix noticeably more White than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Reed-Custer Elementary School has 53 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.0:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 13.9:1 average. An estimated 44% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Reed-Custer Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 46.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 50.1%.

Around the school, census data for Will County shows median household income runs about $109,984, roughly 38% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. In all, Will County runs 209 public schools (combined enrollment of about 113,008 students), of which Reed-Custer Elementary School is one.

The closest other public school is Reed-Custer High School, roughly 1.0 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Reed-Custer Elementary School ranks 5th on composite proficiency, above the local average of 49.1%.

Geographically, the school is in a town-based area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count rose 6%: 651 students in 2018 compared to 690 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share shrank from 88% to 82%.

In the discussion threads here, posts here usually surface around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.