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Charleston Middle School

Q: Is Charleston Middle School a good school?

Charleston Middle School ranks 657 th of 1368 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 7-8

657^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,368 Illinois Middle Schools

Better than 52% of Illinois middle schools

Summary

Charleston Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 7-8 in Charleston, Illinois, with 395 students. The school is part of the Charleston CUSD 1 district, which is ranked 641 out of 811 districts in Illinois and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Charleston Middle School has seen a decline in its academic performance over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 353 out of 1,302 Illinois middle schools in 2014-2015 to 657 out of 1,368 in 2024-2025. The school's performance on standardized tests is below the state average, with only 54.8% of students proficient or better in ELA and 20.2% in Math for all grades in 2024-2025, compared to the state averages of 53.1% and 38.5%, respectively. The school also has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 25.4% to 29.6% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 54.68% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 2023-2024.

Interestingly, Cumberland Middle School and Mattoon Middle School, which are in different districts, have higher academic performance and lower chronic absenteeism rates compared to Charleston Middle School, despite serving similar student populations. Additionally, Jefferson Elementary School, which is in the same district as Charleston Middle School, has similar academic performance and socioeconomic challenges, suggesting that the district-level factors may be contributing to the schools' struggles.

401

Students ?

13.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,820

Per pupil spending ?

48.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

920 Smith Dr
Charleston, IL 61920-2913

(217) 639-6000

District: Charleston CUSD 1

Students who attend Charleston Middle School usually attend:

High:

Charleston High School

Feeder schools for Charleston Middle School:

Elementary:	Ashmore Elementary School
	Carl Sandburg Elementary School
	Mark Twain Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

76.3%

African American:

8.0%

Two or more races:

8.0%

See top rated Illinois middle schools

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 30th percentile in 2021 → 52nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 52nd (2025) from a 30th-percentile low (2021)

✓Above the Illinois median (52nd percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Mathematics scores 18 pts below the Illinois average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school41%

District avg42%

Illinois avg46%

657^th of 1,368

Illinois public middle schools ?

Top 48%▼ down 21 pts since 2015

From top 27% (2015) to top 48% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

641^st of 811Charleston CUSD 1 among Illinois districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	47.7	657 of 1368	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	43.7	693 of 1363	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	45.5	680 of 1367	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	38.5	773 of 1369	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	27.9	870 of 1241	29.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	48.7	638 of 1356	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.2	467 of 1293	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2017	58.4	472 of 1293	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2016	62.4	405 of 1294	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2015	65.5	353 of 1302	72.9%	★★★★☆
2014	70.3	372 of 1322	71.9%	★★★★☆
2013	66.8	429 of 1367	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	74.1	330 of 1365	75.8%	★★★★☆
2011	80.4	187 of 1344	86.1%	★★★★☆
2010	80.3	194 of 1327	85.4%	★★★★☆
2009	79.2	226 of 1318	82.9%	★★★★☆
2008	84.5	106 of 1293	91.8%	★★★★★
2007	80.3	190 of 1287	85.2%	★★★★☆
2006	83.4	133 of 1272	89.5%	★★★★☆
2005	71.3	385 of 1209	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2004	72.4	349 of 1204	71.0%	★★★★☆
2003	66.9	422 of 1185	64.4%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	44.3	288 of 574	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	27.4	423 of 548	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	37.4	334 of 569	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	33.9	253 of 385	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.5	246 of 565	56.5%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2023	29.3	495 of 674	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	47.7	603 of 1248	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.3	616 of 1251	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	43.9	658 of 1275	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.7	784 of 1286	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	23.8	791 of 1017	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	51.5	580 of 1276	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.7	463 of 1226	62.2%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	45.8	322 of 669	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	29.6	485 of 661	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	54.0	23 of 58	60.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	40.2	714 of 1229	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.5	758 of 1219	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.9	737 of 1234	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.9	822 of 1221	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	24.7	836 of 1019	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.9	740 of 1217	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	43.1	627 of 1161	46.0%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	47.0	613 of 1271	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	41.9	650 of 1264	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.6	605 of 1292	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.7	652 of 1286	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	27.7	754 of 1048	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	42.6	680 of 1296	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	54.5	495 of 1223	59.5%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	15.8	173 of 204	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.4	120 of 184	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	27.6	135 of 194	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	14.3	180 of 195	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	15.2	88 of 97	9.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2023	22.5	713 of 805	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.8	734 of 781	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	28.6	434 of 548	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	40.1	387 of 792	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	27.7	462 of 602	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	31.9	629 of 884	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.8	649 of 875	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.3	641 of 895	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.5	749 of 898	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	15.3	732 of 813	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.6	649 of 905	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	40.0	538 of 889	39.5%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Homeless (2025)60th percentile+8 vs school

Hispanic (2025)52nd percentile~ school

Male (2025)52nd percentile~ school

Female (2025)52nd percentile~ school

African American (2025)50th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)42nd percentile-10 vs school

White (2025)29th percentile-23 vs school

Disabled (2023)27th percentile-24 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)15th percentile-37 vs school

Special Education (2023)11th percentile-39 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts55%~ state avg

Science49%+4 vs state

Mathematics20%-18 vs state

★

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Schools Near Charleston Middle School

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 5th Grade	ISA Science 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 4th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 5th 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 4th Grade	IAR Mathematics 5th Grade	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
Charleston Middle School	Public	7-8	920 Smith Dr	Charleston	61920	Coles County	Charleston CUSD 1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 639-6000	401	30	13.3	48.1%	306 (76.3%)	32 (8.0%)	24 (6.0%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (8.0%)	47.7	657^th of 1368 public middle schools	52.0%		43.7	693^rd of 1363 public middle schools	49.2%	36		49.2				48.9	60.3	54.8				23.0	17.5	20.2	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	$14,820	$556	$14,265
Jefferson Elementary School	Public	4-6	801 Jefferson Ave	Charleston	61920	Coles County	Charleston CUSD 1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 639-7000	698	44	16.0	51.6%	523 (74.9%)	70 (10.0%)	51 (7.3%)	8 (1.1%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (6.2%)								(n/a)	30.1		42.1	42.8	51.5			45.2	28.9	16.8	23.4			23.0	96.9	96.9	96.9	96.9	99.0	96.9	96.9	29.7	$11,817	$467	$11,350
Mattoon Middle School	Public	6-8	1200 S 9th St	Mattoon	61938	Coles County	Mattoon CUSD 2	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 238-5800	610	53	11.5	64.6%	502 (82.3%)	26 (4.3%)	39 (6.4%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (6.1%)	49.7	628^th of 1368 public middle schools	54.1%		46.3	654^th of 1363 public middle schools	52.0%	26		41.6			49.2	52.6	40.4	47.2			30.6	35.4	31.7	32.6	99.4	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.0	99.2	99.0	96.8	$15,586	$1,141	$14,445
Cumberland Middle School	Public	5-8	1496 Illinois Route 121	Toledo	62468	Cumberland County	Cumberland CUSD 77	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 923-3135	282	14	20.0	35.8%	274 (97.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.8%)	33.8	880^th of 1368 public middle schools	35.7%		49.7	599^th of 1363 public middle schools	56.1%	281	22.1	30.0		33.3	34.3	34.8	44.3	36.4		20.5	17.9	29.0	27.9	23.6	99.6	100.0	100.0	100.0	98.9	100.0	99.6	74.7	$10,823	$83	$10,739

Frequently Asked Questions about Charleston Middle School

How many students attend Charleston Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 401 students attended Charleston Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Charleston Middle School?

Students at Charleston Middle School are 76% White, 8% African American, 8% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

Is Charleston Middle School a good school?

Charleston Middle School ranks 657^th of 1368 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of Charleston Middle School attend?

Students who attend Charleston Middle School usually go on to attend Charleston High School

What district is Charleston Middle School in?

Charleston CUSD 1

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Schools in Charleston, IL

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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.