Summary:
South Central CUD 401 in Illinois contains a single middle school, South Central Middle School, which has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Illinois middle schools and received a 1-out-of-5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school serves a predominantly low-income student population, with 59.03% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2023-2024 school year.
South Central Middle School's academic performance is a concern, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts (27.1%) and Mathematics (15%) significantly lower than the state averages in the 2024-2025 school year. However, the school's 8th-grade science proficiency rate (46.5%) was slightly higher than the state average (45.4%). Despite the school's low performance, it has relatively high per-student spending ($14,766 in 2023-2024) and a low student-teacher ratio (10.5), suggesting that the issue may not be a lack of resources but rather how those resources are being utilized to improve student outcomes.
To address the challenges faced by South Central Middle School, the South Central CUD 401 district may need to focus on improving the school's core academic programs and teaching practices, as well as exploring strategies to address the high chronic absenteeism rate, which can significantly impact student achievement. Targeted interventions and a closer examination of how resources are being allocated may be necessary to help the school improve its performance and provide a high-quality education for its students.
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