Summary:
Dolton School District 149 in Illinois is home to three middle schools: Creative Communications Academy, School of Fine Arts, and S T E M Academy. These schools serve students in grades 6-8 and face significant challenges, with high rates of chronic absenteeism and students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.
Among the three schools, S T E M Academy stands out as the top performer. It has the highest proficiency rates on state assessments, with 32.3% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 7.5% in Mathematics, compared to the district averages of 24.5% and 10.5%, respectively. S T E M Academy also has the highest state-wide ranking, placing 889 out of 1,363 Illinois middle schools, and a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger, the highest among the three schools.
However, the data also reveals significant performance gaps across the district. All three schools perform well below the state averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics, with little to no improvement over the past few years. The high rates of free/reduced lunch and chronic absenteeism suggest that the schools are serving a population with significant socioeconomic challenges, and the relatively high per-student spending indicates that the district is investing resources, but the outcomes have not improved. Targeted interventions and support focused on attendance, academic support, and addressing the unique needs of the student population could be beneficial in improving student outcomes in Dolton School District 149.
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