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Carl Sandburg Middle School

Q: Is Carl Sandburg Middle School a good school?

Carl Sandburg Middle School ranks 711 th of 1368 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

711^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,368 Illinois Middle Schools

Better than 48% of Illinois middle schools

Summary

Carl Sandburg Junior High School is a public middle school located in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, serving around 450 students in grades 7-8. The school is part of the Palatine CCSD 15 district, which is ranked 415 out of 811 school districts in Illinois and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While the school has a relatively high per-student spending of $20,377, its academic performance is generally lower than the district and state averages. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 52.3% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 55.1% for the district and 53.1% for the state. In math, the school's proficiency rate was just 19.3%, significantly lower than the district (42.9%) and state (38.5%) averages. The school's performance has also declined over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 222 out of 1,302 Illinois middle schools in 2014-2015 to 711 out of 1,368 in 2024-2025.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Plum Grove Junior High School, which is also in the Palatine CCSD 15 district, Carl Sandburg Junior High School generally underperforms. Plum Grove Junior High School has significantly higher test scores, with 74.6% of students proficient or better in ELA and 54.3% in math for the 2024-2025 school year. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Asian, Hispanic, and English Language Learner students struggling the most.

468

Students ?

11.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,371

Per pupil spending ?

48.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2600 Martin Ln
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008-2722

(847) 963-7800

District: Palatine CCSD 15

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

48.3%

White:

38.2%

Asian:

6.6%

See top rated Illinois middle schools

Compare Carl Sandburg Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 83rd percentile in 2015 → 48th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Illinois average (38% vs 46% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 35 percentile points since 2015

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school38%

District avg49%

Illinois avg46%

711^th of 1,368

Illinois public middle schools ?

Bottom 48%▼ down 35 pts since 2015

From top 17% (2015) to bottom 48% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 4Middle Schools in the Palatine CCSD 15

415^th of 811Palatine CCSD 15 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	44.1	711 of 1368	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.9	525 of 1363	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.4	577 of 1367	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.2	711 of 1369	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.3	557 of 1241	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	66.7	400 of 1356	70.5%	★★★★☆
2018	59.5	462 of 1293	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	59.7	459 of 1293	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2016	55.4	504 of 1294	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2015	78.7	222 of 1302	82.9%	★★★★☆
2014	62.2	490 of 1322	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	62.9	488 of 1367	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	67.5	470 of 1365	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2011	71.8	383 of 1344	71.5%	★★★★☆
2010	78.1	246 of 1327	81.5%	★★★★☆
2009	76.7	277 of 1318	79.0%	★★★★☆
2008	76.9	266 of 1293	79.4%	★★★★☆
2007	82.7	141 of 1287	89.0%	★★★★☆
2006	79.5	209 of 1272	83.6%	★★★★☆
2005	78.8	246 of 1209	79.7%	★★★★☆
2004	79.7	233 of 1204	80.6%	★★★★☆
2003	83.6	168 of 1185	85.8%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2023	47.1	243 of 569	57.3%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2024	36.1	133 of 184	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.9	145 of 192	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.6	167 of 198	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	39.7	133 of 201	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	59.2	76 of 209	63.6%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	27.7	528 of 694	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	51.4	214 of 639	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.1	221 of 674	67.2%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	32.6	343 of 483	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	46.2	197 of 486	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	32.0	373 of 480	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.6	434 of 454	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	34.5	213 of 277	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	47.7	125 of 339	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.8	72 of 285	74.7%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	41.5	696 of 1248	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.9	543 of 1251	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.7	627 of 1275	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.6	671 of 1286	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	49.8	451 of 1017	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	70.0	333 of 1276	73.9%	★★★★☆
2018	59.1	454 of 1226	63.0%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	27.5	499 of 669	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.9	494 of 643	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.1	477 of 661	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.0	569 of 662	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.2	418 of 517	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	37.9	394 of 639	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	26.0	480 of 590	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	46.2	640 of 1229	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.0	648 of 1219	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.3	774 of 1234	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	24.5	1001 of 1221	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	40.2	576 of 1019	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.9	591 of 1217	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	42.4	645 of 1161	44.4%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	44.4	654 of 1271	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	57.0	451 of 1264	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.7	458 of 1292	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	41.5	672 of 1286	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.6	584 of 1048	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	60.2	451 of 1296	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.4	471 of 1223	61.5%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	50.5	313 of 812	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	79.3	122 of 802	84.8%	★★★★☆
2023	76.0	125 of 805	84.5%	★★★★☆
2022	49.2	251 of 781	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	60.7	108 of 548	80.3%	★★★★☆
2019	65.1	143 of 792	81.9%	★★★★☆
2018	56.4	168 of 602	72.1%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	49.2	448 of 884	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	51.9	402 of 875	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.9	398 of 895	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	37.1	546 of 898	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	49.6	374 of 813	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.6	290 of 905	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.2	355 of 889	60.1%	★★★☆☆

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)

Special Education (2025)61st percentile+13 vs school

African American (2023)57th percentile~ school

White (2025)49th percentile~ school

Male (2025)49th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)48th percentile~ school

Female (2025)44th percentile-4 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)29th percentile-19 vs school

Asian (2024)28th percentile-34 vs school

Hispanic (2025)25th percentile-23 vs school

Disabled (2025)24th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts52%~ state avg

Science43%~ state avg

Mathematics19%-19 vs state

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Schools Near Carl Sandburg 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 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
Carl Sandburg Middle School	Public	6-8	2600 Martin Ln	Rolling Meadows	60008	Cook County	Palatine CCSD 15	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(847) 963-7800	468	40	11.6	48.5%	179 (38.2%)	13 (2.8%)	226 (48.3%)	31 (6.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.6%)	44.1	711^th of 1368 public middle schools	48.0%		54.9	525^th of 1363 public middle schools	61.5%	186	43.2	43.7	57.6	56.4	52.3	14.6	33.6	10.7	19.3	97.3	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.2	98.0	97.7	96.8	$20,371	$684	$19,687
South Middle School	Public	6-8	400 S Highland Ave	Arlington Heights	60005	Cook County	Arlington Heights School District 25	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(847) 398-4250	812	67	12.0	15.6%	679 (83.6%)	8 (1.0%)	73 (9.0%)	50 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	85.9	178^th of 1368 public middle schools	87.0%		88.7	126^th of 1363 public middle schools	90.8%	52	74.1	71.3	80.9	70.9	74.2	53.7	58.9	42.7	51.8	98.1	98.2	98.2	98.2	97.9	96.7	98.4	97.1	$19,127	$859	$18,268
Plum Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	2600 Plum Grove Rd	Rolling Meadows	60008	Cook County	Palatine CCSD 15	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 963-7600	1,128	68	16.5	14.9%	544 (48.2%)	35 (3.1%)	103 (9.1%)	393 (34.8%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (4.3%)	86.5	170^th of 1368 public middle schools	87.6%		88.2	131^st of 1363 public middle schools	90.4%	39	63.1	74.6	73.5	75.7	74.6	56.7	58.4	48.7	54.3	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	98.7	98.6	99.3	98.3	$15,195	$512	$14,683
Winston Campus Middle School	Public	6-8	120 N Babcock Dr	Palatine	60074	Cook County	Palatine CCSD 15	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(847) 963-7400	847	65	12.9	49.9%	240 (28.3%)	41 (4.8%)	510 (60.2%)	35 (4.1%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.0%)	33.2	894^th of 1368 public middle schools	34.6%		30.5	891^st of 1363 public middle schools	34.6%	3	27.3	32.4	42.0	38.0	37.4	20.1	30.6	25.1	25.2	96.9	97.7	97.7	97.7	97.4	96.7	99.8	97.7	$17,197	$1,022	$16,175
Thomas Middle School	Public	6-8	1430 N Belmont Ave	Arlington Heights	60004	Cook County	Arlington Heights School District 25	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 398-4260	1,024	77	13.2	16.0%	722 (70.5%)	16 (1.6%)	94 (9.2%)	174 (17.0%)	2 (0.2%)	10 (1.0%)	6 (0.6%)	91.8	93^rd of 1368 public middle schools	93.2%		82.3	209^th of 1363 public middle schools	84.7%	116	81.1	76.9	78.8	81.5	79.1	61.9	60.0	57.6	59.7	97.9	97.7	97.7	97.7	100.0	97.0	98.2	94.6	$17,182	$665	$16,517
Holmes Junior High School	Public	6-8	1900 W Lonnquist Blvd	Mount Prospect	60056	Cook County	Community Cons School District 59	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 593-4390	459	49	9.3	62.5%	156 (34.0%)	29 (6.3%)	191 (41.6%)	65 (14.2%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (2.4%)	55.5	546^th of 1368 public middle schools	60.1%		51.6	577^th of 1363 public middle schools	57.7%	31	39.2	56.2	47.6	39.5	47.2	54.0	45.2	27.5	41.2	95.3	96.9	96.9	96.9	97.1	94.0	96.9	91.5	$24,377	$701	$23,676
Lincoln Middle School	Public	6-8	700 W Lincoln St	Mount Prospect	60056	Cook County	Mount Prospect School District 57	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(847) 394-7350	784	58	13.5		576 (73.5%)	13 (1.7%)	87 (11.1%)	62 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (5.9%)	78.4	265^th of 1368 public middle schools	80.6%		77.3	263^rd of 1363 public middle schools	80.7%	2	64.5	64.0	54.0	62.9	60.5	52.2	54.5	60.3	55.8	97.4	97.4	97.4	97.4	97.5	97.3	97.8	95.9	$16,899	$472	$16,428
MacArthur Middle School	Public	6-8	700 N Schoenbeck Rd	Prospect Heights	60070	Cook County	Prospect Heights School District 23	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(847) 870-3879	483	36	13.6	41.8%	326 (67.5%)	8 (1.7%)	90 (18.6%)	44 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.1%)	88.3	142^nd of 1368 public middle schools	89.6%		84.4	183^rd of 1363 public middle schools	86.6%	41	71.8	81.9	63.8	77.9	74.6	58.7	59.1	57.7	58.5	98.9	98.5	98.5	98.5	98.1	97.9	98.9	95.8	$18,422	$361	$18,061
Walter R Sundling Middle School	Public	6-8	1100 N Smith St	Palatine	60067	Cook County	Palatine CCSD 15	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 963-3700	679	61	11.2	47.0%	237 (34.9%)	47 (6.9%)	305 (44.9%)	68 (10.0%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	18 (2.7%)	35.3	854^th of 1368 public middle schools	37.6%		66.7	384^th of 1363 public middle schools	71.8%	470	36.2	33.3	34.9	42.0	36.8	22.1	32.5	23.1	25.9	98.4	98.7	98.7	98.7	98.7	98.5	98.7	98.2	$20,664	$720	$19,944
Dwight D Eisenhower Junior High School	Public	7-8	800 Hassell Rd	Hoffman Estates	60169	Cook County	Schaumburg CCSD 54	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 357-5500	662	56	11.8		191 (28.9%)	59 (8.9%)	245 (37.0%)	148 (22.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (2.7%)	72.1	340^th of 1368 public middle schools	75.1%		77.4	261^st of 1363 public middle schools	80.9%	79	45.3		74.8	65.3	70.1		45.0	40.2	42.6	99.0	98.7	98.7	98.7	99.0	97.8	98.5	98.5	$17,768	$682	$17,086

Frequently Asked Questions about Carl Sandburg Middle School

How many students attend Carl Sandburg Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 468 students attended Carl Sandburg Middle School.

Is Carl Sandburg Middle School a good school?

Carl Sandburg Middle School ranks 711^th of 1368 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Carl Sandburg Middle School?

Students at Carl Sandburg Middle School are 48% Hispanic, 38% White, 7% Asian, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American.

What district is Carl Sandburg Middle School in?

Palatine CCSD 15

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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.