Summary:
The Pontiac CCSD 429 district in Illinois is home to three elementary schools: Central Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, and Washington Elementary School. These schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade and face a range of challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates and socioeconomic factors that impact student performance.
Among the three schools, Lincoln Elementary School stands out as the top performer, consistently ranking among the top 25% of elementary schools in Illinois and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. In the 2024-2025 school year, 33.6% of Lincoln Elementary students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, and 30% were proficient or better in Math, significantly higher than the district and state averages. In contrast, Central Elementary School and Washington Elementary School have lower rankings and ratings, with no specific proficiency data provided for Central Elementary.
Across all three schools, the chronic absenteeism rate is high, at 25.4% for the 2024-2025 school year, well above the state average. Additionally, the schools serve a population with significant socioeconomic challenges, as evidenced by the high percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 60.77% at Washington Elementary to 68.33% at Central Elementary. The differences in spending per student, from $16,793 at Washington Elementary to $18,504 at Lincoln Elementary, suggest potential funding disparities within the district that may contribute to the performance gaps between the schools.
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