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Aerial view of Diamond, IllinoisPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
A
Schools in Diamond · Coal City Community Unit School District 1, Reed Custer Community Unit School District 255U

Diamond’s public schools outscore 89% of Illinois districts

In Diamond, 48% of tested students read at a proficient level, above the Illinois average (30%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Diamond, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Illinois, not nationally.

#76of 768 Illinois townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Illinois state tests taken in spring 2021, when nearly all of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
48%
▲ 18 pts vs IL 30%
2020–21
Math proficiency
40%
▲ 14 pts vs IL 26%
2020–21
Graduate on time
95–100%
▲ 7–12 pts vs IL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$16.2K
▼ 25% vs IL $21.6K
FY2024 · Coal City Community Unit School District 1
Students per teacher
13.6
IL 13.6
Schools in town
0
2,926 students on the public path
In brief

Diamond’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 1498 Illinois towns with household incomes within a quarter of Diamond’s, its schools beat 99%, higher than their 89% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 48% and math 40% across both districts in spring 2021, against 30% and 26% statewide; 95–100% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Coal City Community Unit School District 1 spends $16,202 per student and Reed Custer Community Unit School District 255U $19,619, against $21,567 across Illinois (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Diamond’s grade

A Test scoresA Graduation

A: better than 89% of Illinois school districts, #76 of 768 Illinois towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the Illinois average; graduation is the stronger of the two.

Illinois school districts we grade (887)Better than 89%
Lower resultsHigher results
Illinois towns with similar household incomes (1498)Better than 99%
A firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 1,714 test results and a graduating class of 153 wouldn’t change the letter. The tests are from spring 2021, when nearly all of Diamond’s students in the tested grades sat them (1,672 in math, 1,755 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Diamond, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–52 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressA
6–82 middle schoolsDepends on your addressB+ to A
9–122 high schoolsDepends on your addressC+ to B+

Diamond runs its own schools through grade 12 (Coal City Community Unit School District 1). From grade PK, students attend the Reed Custer Community Unit School District 255U, shared with Braceville, Braidwood, Custer, Essex, Essex, Godley and Reed. Its elementary school is in Braidwood. Parts of Diamond (9% of its land) are served by Wilmington Community Unit School District 209U instead. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Diamond

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Coal City Community Unit School District 1Grades PK–12 · 5 schools · 2,129 students, up 2% since 2020–21 · 14.8 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$16,202IL $21,567 · FY2024
A
Reed Custer Community Unit School District 255UGrades PK–12 · 3 schools · 1,393 students, up 4% since 2020–21 · 12.1 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$19,619IL $21,567 · FY2024
A−
Test scores · 2020–21

Well above the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Coal City Community Unit School District 155%
State average 29.9% · 1075 students tested
Math · PK–12, Coal City Community Unit School District 146%
State average 25.8% · 1052 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Reed Custer Community Unit School District 255U36%
State average 29.9% · 680 students tested
Math · PK–12, Reed Custer Community Unit School District 255U29%
State average 25.8% · 620 students tested

Diamond vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Illinois towns that share Diamond’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
DiamondACoal City Community Unit School District 1 PK–12 · Reed Custer Community Unit School District 255U PK–12
Coal CityACoal City Community Unit School District 1
BraidwoodA−Reed Custer Community Unit School District 255U

Every school in Diamond

6 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Illinois’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

Also serving Diamondin other towns
Reed-Custer Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Braidwood
A
690 students13:1Rate it →
Coal City Early Childhood Center
Elementary · Grades PK–1 · Coal City
437 students16:1Rate it →
Coal City Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Coal City
A
454 students13:1Rate it →
Reed-Custer Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Braidwood
B+
306 students11:1Rate it →
Coal City High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Coal City
B+
642 students16:1Rate it →
Reed-Custer High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Braidwood
C+
397 students12:1Rate it →

Questions about Diamond’s schools

Are Diamond’s schools good?

By Illinois’s own tests, yes: the public schools Diamond children attend outscore 89% of Illinois’s school districts on tests and graduation, an A Schools grade, #76 of 768 Illinois towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 99%. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Diamond in?

Two districts: Coal City Community Unit School District 1 runs grades PK–12, and Reed Custer Community Unit School District 255U runs grades PK–12, shared with Braceville, Braidwood, Custer, Essex, Essex, Godley and Reed.

Where do Diamond kids go to high school?

One of 2 high schools, depending on your address: Coal City High School and Reed-Custer High School.

What is Diamond’s graduation rate?

95–100% of the class of 2023 in Coal City Community Unit School District 1 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois.

How much does Diamond spend per student?

$16,202 in Coal City Community Unit School District 1 and $19,619 in Reed Custer Community Unit School District 255U (FY2024), against $21,567 across Illinois. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Diamond families are saying about school.

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Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Diamond → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2020–21, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Illinois. Stars are from neighbors.