Summary:
North Chicago School District 187 has only one middle school, Neal Math Science Academy, which serves students in grades 6-8. The school faces significant challenges, as it has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Illinois middle schools and struggles with low academic performance and high chronic absenteeism.
Neal Math Science Academy's academic performance is well below state averages. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 22.3% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 53.1%, and only 9.8% were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 38.5%. The school's performance on the Illinois Science Assessment is also below the state average, with only 21.3% of students proficient or better, compared to 45.4% statewide.
Despite the district's high per-student spending of $20,679, which is significantly higher than the state average, the school continues to struggle. The school's high chronic absenteeism rate of 25.4% in the 2024-2025 school year likely contributes to its poor academic performance. Additionally, the school serves a community with significant socioeconomic challenges, as 98.35% of its students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2023-2024 school year. These factors suggest the need for a comprehensive, data-driven approach to school improvement that addresses the root causes of the school's challenges.
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