Middle Schools in Aurora East Unified School District 131

Summary:

The Aurora East Unified School District 131 in Illinois is home to 4 middle schools serving grades 6-8. While the district faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism and socioeconomic disadvantages, one school stands out as a top performer in the region.

Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy has consistently ranked among the top 250 middle schools in Illinois, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school ranked 149th out of 1,368 Illinois middle schools, with significantly higher test scores than the district and state averages across all subject areas and grade levels. For example, 86.1% of students at Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to just 26.5% for the district and 53.1% for the state.

In contrast, the other 3 middle schools in the district - Henry W Cowherd Middle School, K D Waldo Middle School, and C F Simmons Middle School - face challenges with high chronic absenteeism rates, low academic performance, and significant socioeconomic disadvantages among their student populations. Addressing these issues and learning from the success of Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy could be key to improving educational outcomes across the district.

District Detail

310 Seminary Ave
Aurora, IL 60505-4768

(630) 299-5554

SchoolDigger Rank:
777^th of 811 Illinois districts

See the 2025 Illinois District rankings!

Grades served: PK, KG-12
Students: 12,187

Primary Schools: 13
Middle Schools: 4
High Schools: 1
Alternative Schools: 0

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ISA Science (2025)	IAR English Language Arts (2025)				IAR Mathematics (2025)				% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% DTP (2024)	% Meningococcal (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISA Science 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 6th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts All Grades	IAR Mathematics 6th Grade	IAR Mathematics 7th Grade	IAR Mathematics 8th Grade	IAR Mathematics All Grades	% Polio All Grades	% Measles All Grades	% Mumps All Grades	% Rubella All Grades	% Hepatitis B All Grades	% Varicella All Grades	% DTP All Grades	% Meningococcal All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Henry W Cowherd Middle School	Public	6-8	441 N Farnsworth Ave	Aurora	60505	Kane County	Aurora East Unified School District 131	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(630) 299-5900	807	62	13.0	67.0%	16 (2.0%)	104 (12.9%)	671 (83.1%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	11 (1.4%)	12.7	1263^rd of 1368 public middle schools	7.7%		15.1	1228^th of 1363 public middle schools	9.9%	35	19.7	19.4	22.8	23.6	22.0	5.9	8.0	9.0	7.7	99.2	99.6	99.6	99.6	99.3	99.3	98.7	98.0	$19,816	$2,209	$17,607
C F Simmons Middle School	Public	6-8	1130 Sheffer Rd	Aurora	60505	Kane County	Aurora East Unified School District 131	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(630) 299-4150	792	60	13.1	64.4%	11 (1.4%)	50 (6.3%)	717 (90.5%)	6 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (0.9%)	17.3	1165^th of 1368 public middle schools	14.8%		18.8	1121^st of 1363 public middle schools	17.8%	44	25.0	21.2	30.9	27.5	26.4	6.6	12.7	13.9	11.1	98.7	98.9	98.9	98.9	98.1	98.0	98.8	98.5	$20,701	$1,980	$18,721
K D Waldo Middle School	Public	6-8	56 Jackson St	Aurora	60505	Kane County	Aurora East Unified School District 131	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(630) 299-8400	729	55	13.3	70.0%	19 (2.6%)	47 (6.4%)	652 (89.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	9 (1.2%)	10.5	1303^rd of 1368 public middle schools	4.8%		11.8	1298^th of 1363 public middle schools	4.8%	5	17.7	9.9	13.6	19.4	14.4	4.2	11.6	6.9	7.6	97.2	97.3	97.3	97.3	96.8	95.8	97.1	95.2	$21,323	$2,014	$19,309
Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy	Public	6-8	157 N Root St	Aurora	60505	Kane County	Aurora East Unified School District 131	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(630) 299-7175	284	19	14.7	54.6%	20 (7.0%)	13 (4.6%)	240 (84.5%)	2 (0.7%)	3 (1.1%)	2 (0.7%)	3 (1.1%)	88	149^th of 1368 public middle schools	89.1%		78	250^th of 1363 public middle schools	81.7%	101	76.6	85.4	79.8	92.6	86.1	60.4	40.9	45.3	49.1	99.6	99.6	99.6	99.6	99.6	99.3	99.6	97.9	$20,453	$2,441	$18,011

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Indian Prairie CUSD 204	1.51 mi	34	145^th
Kane ROE	1.9 mi	20
Aurora West Unified School District 129	2.2 mi	18	660^th
Cusd 308	3.52 mi	22	296^th
Il Mathematics & Science Academy	4.15 mi	1	1^st

See the top IL Illinois districts

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.