Best Public Schools in Harvard, IL

The city of Harvard, Illinois is home to 5 schools serving students from elementary through high school, all part of the Harvard CUSD 50 district. While the district's largest school, Harvard High School, has a decent 89.0% graduation rate, it struggles with a 2.4% dropout rate and 25.4% chronic absenteeism. Academically, the high school and other schools in the district perform well below state averages, with only 12.2% of 11th graders at Harvard High proficient in Mathematics.

The data reveals systemic challenges across the Harvard school district. Crosby Elementary, the largest elementary school, has only 13.8% of students proficient in English Language Arts and 11.9% proficient in Mathematics. Similarly, Harvard Junior High performs in the bottom 20% of Illinois middle schools, with just 33.5% and 9.2% proficiency in ELA and Math, respectively. High rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 25.4% to 25.4% across all schools, likely contribute to the district's academic struggles.

Socioeconomic factors may also play a role, as the schools serve a relatively low-income population, with 42.98% to 47.91% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. Addressing the systemic performance issues in the Harvard CUSD 50 district will require a comprehensive improvement plan targeting attendance, academic interventions, and additional resources for students and teachers.