For the 2026 school year, there are 3 public elementary schools serving 797 students in Mercer County School District 404. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Illinois.
Public Elementary Schools in Mercer County School District 404 have an average math proficiency score of 12% (versus the Illinois public elementary school average of 27%), and reading proficiency score of 28% (versus the 30% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 10% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which is less than the Illinois public elementary school average of 56% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (IL)
# Schools
5 Schools
3,119 Schools
# Students
1,274 Students
1,192,824 Students
# Teachers
109 Teachers
91,471 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Mercer County School District 404, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 861 school districts in Illinois (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 82% has decreased from 85-89% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#597 out of 865 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
13%
27%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
27%
30%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
53%
50%
Graduation Rate
82%
87%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)30.7%
29.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.17
0.70
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
6%
% Hispanic
2%
28%
% Black
2%
17%
% White
91%
44%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $17,167 in this school district is less than the state median of $22,456. The school district revenue/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,137 is less than the state median of $21,694. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$22 MM
$41,381 MM
Spending
$21 MM
$39,976 MM
Revenue / Student
$17,167
$22,456
Spending / Student
$16,137
$21,694
Best Mercer County School District 404 Public Elementary Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Mercer County Jr High School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
1002 Sw 6th St
Aledo, IL 61231
(309) 584-4174
Aledo, IL 61231
(309) 584-4174
Gr: 6-8 | 270 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 12%
Rank: #22.
New Boston Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
301 Jefferson St
New Boston, IL 61272
(309) 587-8141
New Boston, IL 61272
(309) 587-8141
Gr: K-5 | 165 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 4%
Rank: #33.
Apollo Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
801 Sw 9th St
Aledo, IL 61231
(309) 582-5350
Aledo, IL 61231
(309) 582-5350
Gr: K-5 | 362 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
Recent Articles
Media Literacy as a Core Skill: How to Tell if a School Teaches It Well
Learn how to evaluate whether a public school teaches media literacy effectively, from fact-checking and source evaluation to digital citizenship and critical thinking.
Screen Time, Paper Learning, and the New Back-to-Basics Debate
Explore why some public schools are reducing screen time, bringing back paper learning, and rethinking the balance between technology and traditional instruction.
Student Data, AI Tools, and Privacy: Questions to Ask Your District
Learn how public schools use AI, protect student data, and the key privacy questions every parent should ask their school district in 2026.
