Summary:
The city of Mounds, Illinois is home to two public schools, Meridian Elementary School and Meridian High School, both part of the Meridian CUSD 101 district. Unfortunately, the data paints a concerning picture of the educational landscape in this area, with both schools struggling to provide a quality education to their students.
Neither Meridian Elementary School nor Meridian High School stand out as high-performing institutions. Both schools have received low statewide rankings, with Meridian Elementary ranked 1610 out of 2056 Illinois elementary schools and Meridian High ranked 667 out of 698 Illinois high schools. The schools' academic performance is also concerning, with significantly lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math compared to state averages. For example, only 18.2% of Meridian Elementary students and 14.9% of Meridian High students were proficient or better in ELA in the 2024-2025 school year.
Compounding the academic challenges, both schools face high rates of chronic absenteeism, at 25.4%, and serve a predominantly low-income student population, with over 90% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite the high per-student spending and relatively small class sizes, the schools have not shown significant improvement in their statewide rankings or test scores over the past few years. Addressing these systemic issues will likely require a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach involving the school district, community stakeholders, and policymakers.
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