Summary:
Murphysboro CUSD 186 in Illinois has only one middle school, Murphysboro Middle School, which serves grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 432 students. The school's academic performance is a significant concern, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics well below the state averages, particularly in the 7th and 8th grade levels. Additionally, the school has a concerning chronic absenteeism rate of 25.4%, which is much higher than the state average.
Despite the district's relatively high spending per student ($15,791) and low student-teacher ratio (12.5), these inputs do not seem to be translating into strong academic outcomes for the students at Murphysboro Middle School. The school's high-poverty student population, as evidenced by its 99.77% free/reduced lunch rate, may be contributing to the academic challenges faced by the students.
The school's performance has also been declining over time, with its statewide ranking dropping from 957 out of 1,367 Illinois middle schools in 2022-2023 to 1,148 out of 1,363 in 2023-2024. This trend suggests that the district and school leadership should closely examine the factors contributing to the school's struggles and implement targeted interventions to improve academic outcomes for the students of Murphysboro Middle School.
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