Best Public Schools in Harrisburg, IL

The city of Harrisburg, Illinois is home to 6 schools, including 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 2 high schools, serving students from pre-K through 12th grade. The schools in this district face significant challenges, with wide disparities in academic performance and high rates of poverty and disadvantage among the student population.

One standout school is Harrisburg Middle School, which has the highest performance on state assessments, with 63.1% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 18% proficient or better in Mathematics. In contrast, Harrisburg High School struggles, with proficiency rates in the 20-30% range for ELA and Math, well below the state averages. Another bright spot is East Side Intermediate School, which has shown improvement in its state ranking over the past few years.

The schools in the Harrisburg CUSD 3 district, as well as the IDJJ School District 428, which serves students in the juvenile justice system, face significant challenges, including high rates of poverty, chronic absenteeism, and disparities in academic performance. However, the standout performance of Harrisburg Middle School and the improvement at East Side Intermediate School suggest that with the right strategies and support, the district can work to improve outcomes for all students.