Wells Elem School

Wells Elem School is a small primary school in East Moline, Illinois, operated by East Moline SD 37. The school works with 307 students in grades K through 4.

East Moline SD 37 comprises 6 schools with combined enrollment of 2,641 students; Wells Elem School is among them.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Wells Elem School records that Black students make up the majority at 57%. Beyond that, the school lists 17% White, 13% Hispanic, 11% multiracial. By comparison, Rock Island County as a whole is about 11% Black, so the school skews considerably more Black than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Wells Elem School has 24 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.6:1. The state averages around 13.9:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. An estimated 95% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Rock Island County (around 65%), the school's rate is somewhat above typical.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Wells Elem School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 16.8%; this one delivers 19.7%.

Around the school, census data for Rock Island County shows median household earnings sit near $67,159, about 25% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Rock Island County runs 57 public schools (combined enrollment of about 21,921 students), of which Wells Elem School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Glenview Middle School, around 0.8 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Wells Elem School at 8th of 9; the average score across the group is 29.9%.

Geographically, the school is in a suburban area.

Five-year trend. Wells Elem School's enrollment has contracted 27% since 2018, when it stood at 420 (now 307). Over the same period, the Black share increased from 41% to 57%. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 15.4:1 in 2018 to 12.6:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Wells Elem School typically covers science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.