Best Public Schools in Macon, IL

The city of Macon, Illinois is home to two schools: Meridian High School and Meridian Middle School, both part of the Meridian CUSD 15 district. While the high school boasts an impressive 97.3% 4-year graduation rate, the schools face challenges with lower-than-average test scores and high rates of economically disadvantaged students.

Meridian High School stands out for its exceptional graduation rate, which is significantly above the state average. However, the school's students perform well below state averages on standardized tests, with only 13.5% proficient in SAT Math and 20.3% in SAT English Language Arts. In contrast, Meridian Middle School shows relatively stronger performance on the 8th grade Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) exams, with 35.2% proficient or better in English Language Arts and 55.7% in Science, though still below state averages.

Both schools serve a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, with 33.88% of Meridian High School students and 43.48% of Meridian Middle School students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. This likely presents challenges in providing necessary resources and support, which could be a contributing factor to the lower test scores. Overall, the Meridian CUSD 15 district as a whole is ranked 507 out of 823 in Illinois, with a 2-star rating, suggesting room for improvement compared to other districts in the state.