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Joliet Central High School

Public Grades 9-12

533^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 698 Illinois High Schools

Better than 24% of Illinois high schools

Summary

Joliet Central High School is a public high school serving 3,383 students in grades 9-12 in Joliet, Illinois, which is part of the Joliet Township High School District 204. The school consistently ranks in the bottom half of Illinois high schools, with academic performance significantly below state and district averages across standardized tests. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates in ACT English Language Arts (28%), ACT Mathematics (18.5%), and ACT Science (27.2%) were all well below the state averages (51.7%, 39.3%, and 48.7%, respectively).

Joliet Central High School also faces challenges with graduation and dropout rates, as well as extremely high chronic absenteeism, reaching over 50% in recent years. The school's performance on various metrics is generally lower for student subgroups, such as African American and Hispanic students, compared to their peers statewide. The school's high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 76.71% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, likely contributes to the school's overall academic and performance challenges.

Compared to the nearby Joliet West High School, which is also part of the Joliet Township High School District, Joliet Central High School performs significantly worse across all academic measures. Addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism and implementing targeted interventions for underperforming student subgroups could be crucial steps in improving the school's overall performance and providing more equitable educational opportunities for its students.

3,295

Students ?

18.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,561

Per pupil spending ?

77.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

201 E Jefferson St
Joliet, IL 60432-2841

(815) 727-6740

District: Joliet Township HSD 204

Feeder schools for Joliet Central High School:

Elementary:	A O Marshall Elementary School
	Edna Keith Elementary School
	Elwood C C School
	Farragut Elementary School
	More...
	Laraway School
	M J Cunningham Elementary School
	T E Culbertson Elementary School
	Union Elementary School
	Woodland Elementary School
Middle:	Washington Junior High & Academy Prgm

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

72.7%

African American:

14.6%

White:

10.4%

See top rated Illinois high schools

Compare Joliet Central High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 22nd percentile in 2015 → 24th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Illinois average (28% vs 48% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (24th percentile)

!Graduation rate below the Illinois average (81% vs 89%)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school28%

District avg33%

Illinois avg48%

533^rd of 698

Illinois public high schools ?

Bottom 24%▲ up 2 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Illinois High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2High Schools in the Joliet Township HSD 204

693^rd of 811Joliet Township HSD 204 among Illinois districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	25.2	533 of 698	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.6	519 of 697	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.4	518 of 699	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	37.1	446 of 699	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	26.9	497 of 688	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.4	501 of 701	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.0	499 of 647	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	36.3	423 of 642	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2016	23.6	510 of 643	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	24.5	481 of 614	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	18.7	554 of 670	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	22.0	532 of 670	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	20.9	542 of 665	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	20.7	535 of 655	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	37.9	465 of 643	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	19.2	531 of 632	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	31.9	475 of 624	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	36.6	439 of 612	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	14.1	516 of 596	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	12.3	520 of 590	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	13.3	520 of 592	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	6.6	537 of 586	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	36.1	189 of 323	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.8	178 of 299	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	48.2	120 of 301	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	35.5	167 of 294	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.3	143 of 281	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	40.4	145 of 299	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	37.0	142 of 253	43.9%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	23.8	424 of 491	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	36.4	208 of 429	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	31.8	262 of 428	38.8%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	29.3	221 of 284	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.3	140 of 248	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.0	136 of 217	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	39.1	117 of 205	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	50.9	57 of 189	69.8%	★★★★☆
2019	32.8	125 of 183	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.0	45 of 151	70.2%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	23.8	529 of 685	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.4	490 of 664	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.8	491 of 656	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.8	451 of 658	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	25.6	465 of 639	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.0	469 of 665	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.7	481 of 620	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	30.4	260 of 366	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.7	255 of 336	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.1	236 of 333	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	46.0	166 of 335	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	32.2	208 of 317	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	36.4	186 of 317	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	33.3	199 of 291	31.6%	★★☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	51.2	53 of 138	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.0	59 of 125	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.1	28 of 104	73.1%	★★★★☆
2022	28.5	46 of 98	53.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	58.3	10 of 24	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	24.7	57 of 91	37.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	36.3	457 of 672	32.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.9	426 of 639	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.9	420 of 644	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	51.6	270 of 626	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.2	341 of 611	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	42.0	364 of 639	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.2	406 of 585	30.6%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	26.6	512 of 685	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.1	514 of 668	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.6	494 of 668	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	40.4	395 of 664	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	27.0	473 of 653	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.4	479 of 675	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.2	487 of 619	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	31.0	137 of 211	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	17.1	150 of 182	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	45.1	85 of 163	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	15.7	140 of 170	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.2	137 of 160	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	10.8	157 of 165	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	28.9	107 of 154	30.5%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	31.7	316 of 527	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	25.0	353 of 482	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.0	330 of 476	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.3	249 of 493	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	37.9	221 of 453	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	34.0	276 of 473	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	33.6	221 of 374	40.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	43.0	290 of 564	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.1	340 of 554	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.5	392 of 557	29.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	63.4	167 of 560	70.2%	★★★★☆
2021	37.8	305 of 553	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.3	238 of 552	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	39.5	309 of 548	43.6%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Homeless (2025)62nd percentile+38 vs school

White (2025)49th percentile+25 vs school

African American (2025)41st percentile+18 vs school

Special Education (2025)40th percentile+16 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)35th percentile+11 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)32nd percentile+8 vs school

Hispanic (2025)29th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2025)25th percentile~ school

Female (2025)23rd percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2025)22nd percentile~ school

Disabled (2025)14th percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts28%-24 vs state

Science27%-22 vs state

Mathematics18%-21 vs state

5.0

3 ratings · 2 written reviews

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, September 29, 2014

Central provides its students with an incredible amount of real life opportunities with challenging coursework. From robotics to AP classes I am always amazed at what Central offers. The teachers are talented and caring, couldn't ask for a better school! Steelmen Pride! Close Quote

by a student
Wednesday, February 29, 2012

This school is safe and offers many classes with multiple opportunities Close Quote

Schools Near Joliet Central High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				PreACT Secure English Language Arts (2025)		PreACT Secure Mathematics (2025)		PreACT Secure Science (2025)		ACT English Language Arts (2025)	ACT Mathematics (2025)	ACT Science (2025)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% DTP (2024)	% Meningococcal (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PreACT Secure English Language Arts 9th Grade	PreACT Secure English Language Arts 10th Grade	PreACT Secure Mathematics 9th Grade	PreACT Secure Mathematics 10th Grade	PreACT Secure Science 9th Grade	PreACT Secure Science 10th Grade	ACT English Language Arts 11th Grade	ACT Mathematics 11th Grade	ACT Science 11th Grade	% Polio All Grades	% Measles All Grades	% Mumps All Grades	% Rubella All Grades	% Hepatitis B All Grades	% Varicella All Grades	% DTP All Grades	% Meningococcal All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Joliet Central High School	Public	9-12	201 E Jefferson St	Joliet	60432	Will County	Joliet Township HSD 204	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 727-6740	3,295	181	18.2	77.7%	343 (10.4%)	480 (14.6%)	2,394 (72.7%)	5 (0.2%)	8 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (2.0%)	25.2	533^rd of 698 public high schools	23.6%		22.6	519^th of 697 public high schools	25.5%	14	42.8	35.7	17.1	16.6	33.2	34.4	28.0	18.5	27.2	99.0	99.1	99.1	99.1	98.5	98.8	99.1	97.2	$18,561	$931	$17,630
Pathways Academy	Public	9-12	110 Collins St	Joliet	60432	Will County	Joliet Township HSD 204	No	(n/a)	No	No	(815) 727-6810	0	6	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Lincoln School RSSP	Public	6-12	960 Royce Ave	Joliet	60432	Will County	Will ROE	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 774-8900	0	6	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Lincoln School TAOEP	Public	6-12	960 Royce Ave	Joliet	60432	Will County	Will ROE	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 774-8900	0	1	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Lincoln School ALOP	Public	6-12	960 Royce Ave	Joliet	60432	Will County	Will ROE	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 774-8900	0	0	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
ROE 56 ALOP Success Program	Public	9-12	960 Royce Ave	Joliet	60432	Will County	Will ROE	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 462-5400	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Joliet West High School	Public	9-12	401 N Larkin Ave	Joliet	60435	Will County	Joliet Township HSD 204	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 727-6940	3,451	168	20.5	59.5%	869 (25.2%)	750 (21.7%)	1,630 (47.2%)	52 (1.5%)	4 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	145 (4.2%)	42.7	412^th of 698 public high schools	41.0%		45.9	345^th of 697 public high schools	50.5%	67	51.6	47.4	25.1	23.8	42.8	41.9	38.3	28.1	38.5	95.6	95.6	95.6	95.6	95.6	95.2	95.6	95.6	$16,892	$914	$15,978
Lincoln Way West	Public	9-12	21701 S Gougar Rd	New Lenox	60451	Will County	Lincoln Way CHSD 210	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 717-3501	2,047	113	18.0		1,653 (80.8%)	34 (1.7%)	300 (14.7%)	10 (0.5%)	1 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (2.4%)	89.5	58^th of 698 public high schools	91.7%		87.2	79^th of 697 public high schools	88.7%	21	81.6	69.0	62.0	50.0	66.7	62.7	67.4	61.0	68.0	98.6	98.4	98.4	98.4	98.6	98.3	98.8	97.8	$15,492	$609	$14,884
Will County Detention Center 9-12	Public	9-12	3200 McDonough St	Joliet	60431	Will County	Joliet Township HSD 204	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(815) 773-7233	0	2	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Lockport Township High School East	Public	9-12	1333 E 7th St	Lockport	60441	Will County	Lockport Township HSD 205	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 588-8300	3,678	224	16.4		2,354 (64.0%)	224 (6.1%)	891 (24.2%)	66 (1.8%)	4 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	137 (3.7%)	76.2	133^rd of 698 public high schools	80.9%		82.6	104^th of 697 public high schools	85.1%	29	69.7	60.9	48.9	41.6	55.0	50.9	57.9	51.9	57.6	98.1	98.1	98.1	98.1	98.4	98.1	98.5	96.7	$19,395	$614	$18,780

Frequently Asked Questions about Joliet Central High School

What schools feed into Joliet Central High School?

Joliet Central High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : A O Marshall Elementary School
Elementary : Edna Keith Elementary School
Elementary : Elwood C C School
Elementary : Farragut Elementary School
Elementary : Laraway School
Elementary : M J Cunningham Elementary School
Elementary : T E Culbertson Elementary School
Elementary : Union Elementary School
Elementary : Woodland Elementary School
Middle : Washington Junior High & Academy Prgm

Is Joliet Central High School a good school?

Joliet Central High School ranks in the bottom 23.6% of Illinois high schools.

How many students attend Joliet Central High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 3,295 students attended Joliet Central High School.

What is the racial makeup of Joliet Central High School?

Students at Joliet Central High School are 73% Hispanic, 15% African American, 10% White, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Joliet Central High School in?

Joliet Township HSD 204

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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.