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Merrill Elementary School

Summary:

Merrill Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Rock Falls, Illinois, serving grades 3-5 with a total enrollment of 246 students. The school is part of the Rock Falls Education Service District 13, which is ranked 382 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Merrill Elementary School's academic performance is generally below the state and district averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 29.5% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 41.2% statewide and 44.9% in the district. Similarly, in Mathematics, only 23.6% of students were proficient or better, compared to 28.4% statewide and 25.9% in the district. The school's performance on the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) is also below the state average, with only 40% of students proficient or better, compared to 53.2% statewide. Merrill Elementary School's performance has been consistently low over the past several years, with the school ranking in the bottom half of Illinois elementary schools. Additionally, the school has had high rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 13.4% to 27.0% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average.

Interestingly, Merrill Elementary School's performance varies significantly among different student subgroups. Hispanic students have performed relatively well, with the school ranking in the top 25% of Illinois elementary schools for this subgroup. In contrast, White students and students with disabilities have performed poorly, with the school ranking in the bottom 25% of Illinois elementary schools for these subgroups. The school's performance for low-socioeconomic status students has been mixed, with the school ranking in the middle third of Illinois elementary schools for this subgroup. Compared to nearby schools, such as Dillon Elementary School and Montmorency CCSD #145, Merrill Elementary School's performance is generally lower across multiple academic measures.


Detail:

Public 3-5

 600 4th Ave
       Rock Falls, IL  61071-1229

(815) 625-4634

District: Rock Falls Education Service District 13

SchoolDigger Rank:
1071st of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,791 Help


Students who attend Merrill Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Rock Falls Middle School
High:    Rock Falls Township High School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.9 Help
Number of students:  246

Racial breakdown:

White:
57.3%
Hispanic:
35.4%
Two or more races:
4.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  76.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Merrill Elementary School ranks worse than 51.8% of elementary schools in Illinois. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.04. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merrill Elementary School is $11,791.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Merrill Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrill Elementary School 1071st of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Merrill Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Rock Falls Education Service District 13:

SchoolDigger ranks Rock Falls Education Service District 13 382nd of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Merrill Elementary School?

Rank History for Merrill Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Merrill Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 51.19 1192nd 2020 41.0%
2004 52.81 1168th 2030 42.5%
2005 65.24 845th 2022 58.2%
2006 66.47 829th 2086 60.3%
2007 68.37 769th 2095 63.3%
2008 72.77 632nd 2092 69.8%
2009 68.56 781st 2120 63.2%
2010 73.59 613th 2139 71.3%
2011 67.06 839th 2147 60.9%
2012 57.78 1089th 2166 49.7%
2013 32.84 1536th 2167 29.1%
2014 35.21 1418th 2093 32.3%
2015 21.25 1679th 2052 18.2%
2016 33.84 1325th 2046 35.2%
2017 29.59 1422nd 2044 30.4%
2018 29.05 1448th 2037 28.9%
2019 34.32 1332nd 2086 36.1%
2021 48.20 891st 1948 54.3%
2022 41.50 1139th 2082 45.3%
2023 37.37 1227th 2077 40.9%
2024 44.04 1071st 2067 48.2%
See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Merrill Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.43 389th 763 49.0%
2019 26.35 948th 1194 20.6%
2021 36.25 375th 640 41.4%
2022 44.22 497th 1113 55.3%
2023 24.52 928th 1156 19.7%
2024 28.40 873rd 1195 26.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.05 1061st 1765 39.9%
2019 42.34 1023rd 1816 43.7%
2021 54.68 531st 1514 64.9%
2022 56.84 619th 1763 64.9%
2023 48.22 860th 1808 52.4%
2024 60.13 542nd 1793 69.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Merrill Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.00 1449th 1964 26.2%
2019 33.35 1316th 2019 34.8%
2021 41.84 889th 1680 47.1%
2022 41.62 1051st 1970 46.6%
2023 41.24 1072nd 1957 45.2%
2024 47.10 938th 1942 51.7%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Merrill Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 31.26 608th 907 33.0%
2024 38.13 504th 886 43.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Merrill Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.69 1318th 1972 33.2%
2019 36.58 1225th 2019 39.3%
2021 48.14 773rd 1707 54.7%
2022 41.16 1065th 1977 46.1%
2023 34.23 1231st 1984 38.0%
2024 41.36 1054th 1959 46.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Merrill Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.35 768th 938 18.1%
2019 30.32 707th 955 26.0%
2021 74.45 95th 742 87.2%
2022 58.24 296th 954 69.0%
2023 64.47 240th 970 75.3%
2024 67.73 201st 959 79.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Merrill Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.76 1283rd 1463 12.3%
2019 23.27 1196th 1462 18.2%
2021 33.89 906th 1308 30.7%
2022 22.10 1197th 1425 16.0%
2023 16.20 1269th 1419 10.6%
2024 23.17 1143rd 1392 17.9%
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.

Merrill Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for Merrill Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 255 4 n/a 37 n/a n/a n/a 0 296
1990 262 3 n/a 37 n/a n/a n/a 0 302
1991 222 4 1 40 1 n/a n/a 0 268
1992 214 3 2 31 0 n/a n/a 0 250
1993 241 1 0 24 0 n/a n/a 0 266
1994 242 1 0 25 0 n/a n/a 0 268
1995 267 3 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 272
1996 267 3 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 272
1997 259 3 0 28 1 n/a n/a 0 291
1998 254 1 0 30 0 n/a n/a 0 285
1999 246 0 0 28 0 n/a n/a 0 274
2000 249 5 5 37 0 n/a n/a 0 296
2001 234 4 4 29 0 n/a n/a 0 271
2002 213 4 2 37 0 n/a n/a 0 256
2003 213 4 2 37 0 n/a n/a 0 256
2004 265 6 2 65 1 n/a n/a 0 339
2005 217 11 4 67 1 n/a n/a 0 300
2006 268 9 5 60 1 n/a n/a 3 346
2007 213 5 3 43 0 n/a n/a 28 292
2008 241 9 1 58 3 n/a n/a 45 357
2009 249 7 1 61 0 n/a n/a 59 377
2010 237 3 1 67 1 n/a n/a 46 355
2011 238 7 1 94 2 0 20 0 362
2012 226 6 0 111 2 0 19 0 364
2013 208 5 0 99 2 0 14 0 328
2014 207 7 0 96 3 0 15 0 328
2015 223 3 2 92 1 0 12 0 333
2016 200 9 4 93 1 0 11 0 318
2017 211 8 6 88 1 0 9 0 323
2018 193 7 3 90 1 0 17 0 311
2019 167 5 2 93 0 0 19 0 286
2020 146 7 2 76 2 0 18 0 251
2021 147 10 2 74 3 0 14 0 250
2022 123 12 2 78 3 0 18 0 236
2023 141 5 2 87 1 0 10 0 246

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 Merrill Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 296 17.0 17.4 n/a
1990 302 15.0 20.1 n/a
1991 268 14.0 19.1 n/a
1992 250 14.0 17.8 n/a
1993 266 12.0 22.2 n/a
1994 268 12.0 22.3 n/a
1995 272 14.0 19.4 n/a
1996 272 14.0 19.4 n/a
1997 291 14.0 20.8 n/a
1998 285 17.0 16.8 n/a
1999 274 17.5 15.7 n/a
2000 296 19.5 15.2 n/a
2001 271 18.5 14.6 n/a
2002 256 19.5 13.1 57.8
2003 256 19.5 13.1 57.8
2004 339 19.0 17.8 69.9
2005 300 19.0 15.8 69
2006 346 18.0 19.2 62.4
2007 292 16.0 18.3 79.2
2008 357 16.0 22.3 67.6
2009 377 18.0 20.9 64.2
2010 355 19.0 18.6 69.3
2011 362 19.0 19.0 58
2012 364 20.0 18.2 72.5
2013 328 18.2 17.9 75
2014 328 19.0 17.2 83.8
2015 333 20.0 16.6 79.9
2016 318 21.0 15.1 79.2
2017 323 22.4 14.4 80.8
2018 311 20.4 15.2 71.4
2019 286 19.6 14.5 70.3
2020 251 18.5 13.5 66.9
2021 250 n/a n/a n/a
2022 236 20.3 11.6 71.2
2023 246 20.5 11.9 76.8

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 Merrill Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 296 17.0 17.4 n/a
1990 302 15.0 20.1 n/a
1991 268 14.0 19.1 n/a
1992 250 14.0 17.8 n/a
1993 266 12.0 22.2 n/a
1994 268 12.0 22.3 n/a
1995 272 14.0 19.4 n/a
1996 272 14.0 19.4 n/a
1997 291 14.0 20.8 n/a
1998 285 17.0 16.8 n/a
1999 274 17.5 15.7 n/a
2000 296 19.5 15.2 n/a
2001 271 18.5 14.6 n/a
2002 256 19.5 13.1 57.8
2003 256 19.5 13.1 57.8
2004 339 19.0 17.8 69.9
2005 300 19.0 15.8 69
2006 346 18.0 19.2 62.4
2007 292 16.0 18.3 79.2
2008 357 16.0 22.3 67.6
2009 377 18.0 20.9 64.2
2010 355 19.0 18.6 69.3
2011 362 19.0 19.0 58
2012 364 20.0 18.2 72.5
2013 328 18.2 17.9 75
2014 328 19.0 17.2 83.8
2015 333 20.0 16.6 79.9
2016 318 21.0 15.1 79.2
2017 323 22.4 14.4 80.8
2018 311 20.4 15.2 71.4
2019 286 19.6 14.5 70.3
2020 251 18.5 13.5 66.9
2021 250 n/a n/a n/a
2022 236 20.3 11.6 71.2
2023 246 20.5 11.9 76.8

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

Merrill Elementary School

Help
Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaVaricellaDTPHepatitis B
201699.1%99.1%99.1%99.1%99.4%99.1%
201798.2%98.2%98.2%98.2%98.8%98.2%
201897.8%98.1%98.1%98.1%98.4%97.8%
201998.6%98.6%98.6%98.6%99.0%98.6%
202199.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%
202297.4%98.3%98.3%98.3%97.9%97.9%96.6%
202397.1%97.5%97.5%97.5%97.5%97.1%97.1%
202496.7%96.2%96.2%96.2%96.2%96.7%96.2%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Merrill Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $450 (4.7%) $9,068 (95.3%) $9,518
2020 $615 (5.1%) $11,486 (94.9%) $12,101
2021 $2,364 (16.1%) $12,309 (83.9%) $14,673
2022 $2,364 (16.1%) $12,309 (83.9%) $14,673
2023 $3,648 (26.7%) $10,001 (73.3%) $13,650
2024 $1,471 (12.5%) $10,320 (87.5%) $11,790

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Merrill 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 1332nd of 2086 Elementary schoolsRanks 1227th of 2077 Elementary schools
 4.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Elementary School)23.714.1
 9.6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Rock Falls Education Service District 13)23.714.1
 9.6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.428.8
 7.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Merrill Elementary School)20.520.7
 0.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Rock Falls Education Service District 13)20.520.7
 0.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Illinois)40.633
 7.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Elementary School)22.129
 6.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Rock Falls Education Service District 13)22.129
 6.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.735.4
 1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Elementary School)22.121
 1.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Rock Falls Education Service District 13)22.121
 1.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)33.527.7
 5.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Elementary School)2926
 3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Rock Falls Education Service District 13)2926
 3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)37.935.2
 2.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Elementary School)16.99.6
 7.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Rock Falls Education Service District 13)16.99.6
 7.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.825.6
 4.2%
5th Grade Science (Merrill Elementary School)61.754.1
 7.6%
   5th Grade Science (Rock Falls Education Service District 13)61.754.1
 7.6%
   5th Grade Science (Illinois)54.452.4
 2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students286246
 14%
African American55
American Indian01
Asian22
Hispanic9387
 6.5%
Pacific Islander00
White167141
 15.6%
Two or More Races1910
 47.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients70.3%76.8%
 6.5%

Schools Near Merrill Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about Merrill Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 246 students attended Merrill Elementary School.

Merrill Elementary School ranks 1071st of 2067 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Merrill Elementary School are 57% White, 35% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

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

Middle : Rock Falls Middle School
High : Rock Falls Township High School


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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.




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