Gard Elementary School

Summary:

Gard Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Beardstown, Illinois, serving grades K-4 with a total enrollment of 473 students. The school is part of the Beardstown CUSD 15 district, which is ranked 801 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Gard Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Illinois elementary schools over the past decade.

Gard Elementary School significantly underperforms compared to the state and district averages in academic proficiency. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 7.2% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 11.2% for the Beardstown CUSD 15 district and 41.2% for the state of Illinois. The school's math proficiency rates are also very low, with only 5.3% of 3rd graders and 6.8% of 4th graders meeting or exceeding standards. Gard Elementary School has also struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 23.3% in 2021-2022 to 41.9% in 2020-2021, which are significantly higher than the state average.

When comparing Gard Elementary School to nearby schools, it becomes clear that the school is an outlier in terms of academic performance and other key metrics. For example, North Jacksonville School, which is 19.95 miles away, outperforms Gard Elementary School in both English Language Arts and Math proficiency by a significant margin. Similarly, Brown County Elementary School and Triopia Grade School, which are 18.13 and 11.79 miles away, respectively, have much higher academic achievement levels.


Detail:

Public K-4

 400 E 15th St
       Beardstown, IL  62618-2054


(217) 323-1364

District: Beardstown CUSD 15

SchoolDigger Rank:
1914th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,078 Help


Students who attend Gard Elementary School usually attend:

High:    Beardstown Junior/Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.1 Help
Number of students:  488

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
38.5%
White:
25.0%
Two or more races:
19.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  73.2% Help


 See top rated Illinois elementary schools

 Compare Gard Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Gard Elementary School ranks worse than 92.6% of elementary schools in Illinois. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.55. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Gard Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (38.5%), White (25%), two or more races (19.5%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 73.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gard Elementary School is 13.1. (See more...)
Help
Compare Gard Elementary School employs 37 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gard Elementary School is $11,078.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Gard Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Gard Elementary School 1914th of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Gard Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Beardstown CUSD 15:

SchoolDigger ranks Beardstown CUSD 15 801st of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Gard Elementary School?

Rank History for Gard Elementary School

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at Gard Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 43.76 1327th 2020 34.3%
2004 33.80 1518th 2030 25.2%
2005 32.61 1537th 2022 24.0%
2006 43.08 1445th 2086 30.7%
2007 45.57 1404th 2095 33.0%
2008 21.97 1744th 2092 16.6%
2009 36.29 1536th 2120 27.5%
2010 18.63 1837th 2139 14.1%
2011 10.35 1990th 2147 7.3%
2012 15.34 1938th 2166 10.5%
2013 11.81 1987th 2167 8.3%
2014 12.89 1893rd 2093 9.6%
2015 11.99 1950th 2052 5.0%
2016 9.61 1983rd 2046 3.1%
2017 9.87 1969th 2044 3.7%
2018 12.84 1885th 2037 7.5%
2019 13.18 1927th 2086 7.6%
2021 12.38 1895th 1948 2.7%
2022 14.59 1878th 2082 9.8%
2023 16.48 1816th 2077 12.6%
2024 13.55 1914th 2067 7.4%
See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Gard Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.30 704th 718 1.9%
2019 29.11 631st 743 15.1%
2021 24.69 524th 537 2.4%
2022 23.42 727th 768 5.3%
2023 29.12 653rd 788 17.1%
2024 30.17 641st 826 22.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Gard Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.89 751st 763 1.6%
2019 31.03 813th 1194 31.9%
2021 19.33 625th 640 2.3%
2022 22.20 1023rd 1113 8.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Gard Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.04 1605th 1765 9.1%
2019 16.15 1710th 1816 5.8%
2021 18.82 1420th 1514 6.2%
2022 22.67 1487th 1763 15.7%
2023 27.91 1388th 1808 23.2%
2024 20.27 1582nd 1793 11.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Gard Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.42 1841st 1964 6.3%
2019 9.52 1958th 2019 3.0%
2021 11.39 1633rd 1680 2.8%
2022 15.08 1771st 1970 10.1%
2023 16.64 1724th 1957 11.9%
2024 14.10 1792nd 1942 7.7%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Gard Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.11 1782nd 1972 9.6%
2019 19.82 1691st 2019 16.2%
2021 11.94 1672nd 1707 2.1%
2022 15.19 1795th 1977 9.2%
2023 17.53 1694th 1984 14.6%
2024 13.91 1808th 1959 7.7%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Gard Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.62 433rd 698 38.0%
2019 17.71 693rd 711 2.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Gard Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.14 899th 938 4.2%
2019 20.43 864th 955 9.5%
2021 18.39 721st 742 2.8%
2022 21.09 855th 954 10.4%
2023 21.29 869th 970 10.4%
2024 16.12 911th 959 5.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Gard Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.98 1436th 1463 1.8%
2019 6.52 1434th 1462 1.9%
2021 4.88 1304th 1308 0.3%
2022 5.23 1417th 1425 0.6%
2023 8.76 1375th 1419 3.1%
2024 6.77 1362nd 1392 2.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Gard Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Gard Elementary School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Gard Elementary School, submit a rating!


Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Gard Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 438 n/a 1 3 n/a n/a n/a 0 442
1990 460 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 460
1991 454 0 2 6 0 n/a n/a 0 462
1992 482 1 4 5 0 n/a n/a 0 492
1993 473 1 5 4 0 n/a n/a 0 483
1994 439 3 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 449
1995 389 1 1 6 0 n/a n/a 0 397
1996 389 1 1 6 0 n/a n/a 0 397
1997 413 2 0 14 0 n/a n/a 0 429
1998 356 4 2 45 2 n/a n/a 0 409
1999 329 2 2 71 0 n/a n/a 0 404
2000 332 4 2 88 0 n/a n/a 0 426
2001 304 5 2 135 4 n/a n/a 0 450
2002 296 3 5 169 0 n/a n/a 0 473
2003 296 3 5 169 0 n/a n/a 0 473
2004 283 3 3 203 1 n/a n/a 0 493
2005 174 5 4 214 0 n/a n/a 0 397
2006 222 3 1 259 3 n/a n/a 18 506
2007 212 11 2 223 0 n/a n/a 42 490
2008 246 15 1 207 0 n/a n/a 38 507
2009 250 15 1 217 0 n/a n/a 53 536
2010 190 13 1 221 0 n/a n/a 52 477
2011 194 21 0 288 2 0 17 0 522
2012 186 38 1 316 0 0 10 0 551
2013 189 44 2 314 1 0 14 0 564
2014 173 49 5 316 0 0 11 0 554
2015 192 56 2 290 0 0 10 0 550
2016 176 64 2 274 0 0 8 0 524
2017 172 59 2 281 1 0 10 0 525
2018 167 75 2 285 6 0 0 0 535
2019 145 63 3 267 2 0 10 0 490
2020 151 66 3 228 4 3 25 0 480
2021 130 56 8 224 4 4 37 0 463
2022 129 57 9 210 3 5 53 0 466
2023 125 62 9 182 3 14 78 0 473
2024 122 67 9 188 3 4 95 0 488

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Gard Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 442 28.1 15.7 n/a
1990 460 28.1 16.3 n/a
1991 462 28.1 16.4 n/a
1992 492 29.4 16.7 n/a
1993 483 28.3 17.1 n/a
1994 449 28.3 15.9 n/a
1995 397 32.8 12.1 n/a
1996 397 32.8 12.1 n/a
1997 429 30.8 13.9 n/a
1998 409 30.8 13.3 n/a
1999 404 31.0 13.0 n/a
2000 426 31.9 13.4 n/a
2001 450 31.9 14.1 n/a
2002 473 33.9 14.0 69.6
2003 473 33.9 14.0 69.6
2004 493 35.0 14.1 75.1
2005 397 27.0 14.7 75.6
2006 506 35.0 14.5 79.3
2007 490 38.0 12.9 83.3
2008 507 38.0 13.3 84.4
2009 536 42.1 12.7 89.2
2010 477 38.0 12.5 96.7
2011 522 37.5 13.8 80.7
2012 551 42.0 13.1 82.9
2013 564 40.7 13.8 85.5
2014 554 42.0 13.1 83
2015 550 42.0 13.0 84
2016 524 36.0 14.5 81.5
2017 525 35.5 14.7 82.1
2018 535 35.5 15.0 79.8
2019 490 35.0 13.9 79.4
2020 480 36.0 13.3 98.5
2021 463 n/a n/a n/a
2022 466 39.0 11.9 98.5
2023 473 39.0 12.1 73.6
2024 488 37.0 13.1 73.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Gard Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 442 28.1 15.7 n/a
1990 460 28.1 16.3 n/a
1991 462 28.1 16.4 n/a
1992 492 29.4 16.7 n/a
1993 483 28.3 17.1 n/a
1994 449 28.3 15.9 n/a
1995 397 32.8 12.1 n/a
1996 397 32.8 12.1 n/a
1997 429 30.8 13.9 n/a
1998 409 30.8 13.3 n/a
1999 404 31.0 13.0 n/a
2000 426 31.9 13.4 n/a
2001 450 31.9 14.1 n/a
2002 473 33.9 14.0 69.6
2003 473 33.9 14.0 69.6
2004 493 35.0 14.1 75.1
2005 397 27.0 14.7 75.6
2006 506 35.0 14.5 79.3
2007 490 38.0 12.9 83.3
2008 507 38.0 13.3 84.4
2009 536 42.1 12.7 89.2
2010 477 38.0 12.5 96.7
2011 522 37.5 13.8 80.7
2012 551 42.0 13.1 82.9
2013 564 40.7 13.8 85.5
2014 554 42.0 13.1 83
2015 550 42.0 13.0 84
2016 524 36.0 14.5 81.5
2017 525 35.5 14.7 82.1
2018 535 35.5 15.0 79.8
2019 490 35.0 13.9 79.4
2020 480 36.0 13.3 98.5
2021 463 n/a n/a n/a
2022 466 39.0 11.9 98.5
2023 473 39.0 12.1 73.6
2024 488 37.0 13.1 73.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Immunization Rates

Gard Elementary School

Help
Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaVaricellaDTPHepatitis B
201698.1%99.6%99.6%99.6%98.8%97.5%
201797.6%98.7%98.7%98.7%97.6%97.6%
201899.1%99.3%99.3%99.3%98.5%99.1%
201997.7%97.7%97.7%97.7%97.3%97.7%
202198.2%98.7%98.7%98.7%98.4%99.1%99.6%
202297.2%97.2%97.4%97.4%97.4%97.0%98.5%
202398.1%97.9%97.9%97.9%97.7%98.3%99.2%
202495.9%97.3%97.3%97.3%96.5%96.1%97.8%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Gard Elementary School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,919 (23.5%) $6,234 (76.5%) $8,154
2020 $1,957 (23.5%) $6,359 (76.5%) $8,317
2021 $2,194 (21.2%) $8,176 (78.8%) $10,370
2022 $2,194 (21.2%) $8,176 (78.8%) $10,370
2023 $3,819 (28.4%) $9,650 (71.6%) $13,470
2024 $1,565 (14.1%) $9,513 (85.9%) $11,078

Data source: Illinois Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gard Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1927th of 2086 Elementary schoolsRanks 1816th of 2077 Elementary schools
 4.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Gard Elementary School)6.47.8
 1.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Beardstown CUSD 15)6.47.8
 1.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.428.8
 7.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Gard Elementary School)18.112.5
 5.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Beardstown CUSD 15)18.112.5
 5.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Illinois)40.633
 7.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Gard Elementary School)9.59.3
 0.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Beardstown CUSD 15)9.59.3
 0.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.735.4
 1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Gard Elementary School)12.65.8
 6.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Beardstown CUSD 15)12.65.8
 6.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)33.527.7
 5.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students490473
 3.5%
African American6362
 1.6%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian39
 200%
Hispanic267182
 31.8%
Pacific Islander014
White145125
 13.8%
Two or More Races1078
 680%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients79.4%73.6%
 5.8%


Schools Near Gard Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Gard Elementary School

Students who attend Gard Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Beardstown Junior/Senior High School

Students at Gard Elementary School are 39% Hispanic, 25% White, 19% Two or more races, 14% African American, 2% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 488 students attended Gard Elementary School.

Gard Elementary School ranks in the bottom 7.4% of Illinois elementary schools.


Rate Gard Elementary School!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Gard Elementary School!




SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 1965 milliseconds.