Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its Illinois rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Edith M Smith Middle School

Q: Is Edith M Smith Middle School a good school?

Edith M Smith Middle School ranks in the bottom 1.0% of Illinois middle schools.

Q: How many students attend Edith M Smith Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 493 students attended Edith M Smith Middle School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Edith M Smith Middle School?

Students at Edith M Smith Middle School are 82% Hispanic, 11% African American, 4% White, 2% Two or more races.

Q: What high school do graduates of Edith M Smith Middle School attend?

Students who attend Edith M Smith Middle School usually go on to attend Waukegan High School

Public Grades 6-8

1115^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,126 Illinois Middle Schools

Better than 1% of Illinois middle schools

Summary

Edith M Smith Middle School serves 493 students in grades 6–8 in Waukegan, Illinois, within Waukegan CUSD 60; nearby middle schools enroll from 330 to 1,541 students. In 2025–26, Smith’s proficiency was well below state results in English language arts (ELA), math and eighth-grade science. The clearest concern is ELA and math: Smith had the lowest ELA proficiency and the second-lowest math proficiency among the 10 nearby schools.

Smith’s academic results are weakest in ELA and math compared with nearby schools, its district and the state. ELA proficiency was 20%, versus 28% in the district and 56% statewide; Smith was 12 percentage points below the nearby-school average. Math proficiency was 8%, compared with 20% in the district and 40% statewide, and was 5 points below the nearby-school average. Eighth-grade science was a relative strength locally: Smith’s 23% result was around the middle of nearby schools, though below the 26% district rate and 52% statewide. Chronic absenteeism was 34%, the highest among nearby schools and 11 points above the state rate.

Recent results show improvement, but the broader picture remains challenging. ELA proficiency rose 5 points from 2023–24 to 2025–26, and math rose 2 points; chronic absenteeism fell 11 points from 45% in 2022–23. Still, SchoolDigger ranked Smith 1,115th of 1,126 schools in 2025–26, at the 1st percentile with 0 stars; its percentile fell 24 points from 2021–22. The 2024–25 student-teacher ratio was 11.2, below the nearby-school average of 12.4. Also in 2024–25, 72% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible, compared with 66% at nearby schools reporting that measure; these figures provide context, not an explanation for results. In SchoolDigger’s statewide rankings, the school’s Disabled Students group stood at the 23rd percentile in 2024–25, compared with 3rd overall, while its English Language Learner Students ranking fell from the 14th to the 2nd percentile between 2023–24 and 2024–25.

493

Students ?

11.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$23,531

Per pupil spending ?

72.2%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

86.6%

Measles protection (all grades) (2025-26)

930 New York St
Waukegan, IL 60085-2722

(224) 303-2760

District: Waukegan CUSD 60

Students who attend Edith M Smith Middle School usually attend:

High:

Waukegan High School

Feeder schools for Edith M Smith Middle School:

Elementary:	Glen Flora Elementary School
	Greenwood Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

81.7%

African American:

10.8%

White:

3.9%

See top rated Illinois middle schools

Compare Edith M Smith Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 20th percentile in 2016 → 1st in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Illinois average (17% vs 49% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (34% vs 24% Illinois)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school17%

District avg25%

Illinois avg49%

1,115^th of 1,126

Illinois public middle schools ?

Bottom 1%▼ down 19 pts since 2016

From bottom 20% (2016) to bottom 1% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 5Middle Schools in the Waukegan CUSD 60

716^th of 738Waukegan CUSD 60 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
2026	3.3	1115 of 1126	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.4	1324 of 1368	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	14.5	1237 of 1363	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	17.0	1184 of 1367	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.6	1031 of 1369	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.9	945 of 1241	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.4	1013 of 1356	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.6	905 of 1293	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2017	22.7	1022 of 1293	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	23.5	1030 of 1294	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	19.1	1093 of 1302	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	11.0	1218 of 1322	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	8.1	1295 of 1367	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	7.5	1293 of 1365	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	11.0	1243 of 1344	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	12.8	1190 of 1327	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	10.3	1207 of 1318	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	15.2	1120 of 1293	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	15.2	1111 of 1287	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	13.1	1110 of 1272	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	7.4	1097 of 1209	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	13.1	1026 of 1204	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	13.9	1004 of 1185	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	12.1	569 of 574	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	17.3	533 of 548	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	23.2	508 of 569	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.5	406 of 573	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	46.4	158 of 385	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	28.5	443 of 565	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	42.5	263 of 511	48.5%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	27.4	534 of 694	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.0	482 of 639	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.2	527 of 674	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	17.3	471 of 483	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	27.3	419 of 486	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.8	413 of 480	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.0	390 of 454	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	59.5	43 of 277	84.5%	★★★★☆
2019	34.5	260 of 339	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	45.7	119 of 285	58.2%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	1.1	862 of 867	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	8.5	1212 of 1248	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	14.6	1136 of 1251	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	18.5	1064 of 1275	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.3	993 of 1286	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.6	825 of 1017	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	24.2	984 of 1276	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.0	868 of 1226	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	5.0	481 of 483	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.9	660 of 669	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	17.5	581 of 643	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	20.9	576 of 661	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.2	468 of 662	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	32.7	364 of 517	29.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.4	435 of 639	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.2	367 of 590	37.8%	★★☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2019	47.2	17 of 36	52.8%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	4.7	779 of 788	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	12.6	1185 of 1229	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	19.6	1068 of 1219	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.7	1018 of 1234	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.6	923 of 1221	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	32.4	695 of 1019	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.5	799 of 1217	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	43.2	624 of 1161	46.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	2.5	821 of 829	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.0	1214 of 1271	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	14.8	1158 of 1264	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	16.4	1146 of 1292	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.9	956 of 1286	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.8	829 of 1048	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	27.2	926 of 1296	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.4	862 of 1223	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	18.2	737 of 812	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	20.5	727 of 802	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	23.5	680 of 805	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.7	557 of 781	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	37.5	308 of 548	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	27.5	652 of 792	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	31.1	422 of 602	29.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2022	3.0	898 of 898	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

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 (2019)53rd percentile+27 vs school

Disabled (2025)23rd percentile+20 vs school

Special Education (2025)9th percentile+6 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)2nd percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)1st percentile~ school

Male (2026)1st percentile~ school

African American (2025)1st percentile~ school

Female (2026)1st percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)<1st percentile~ school

White (2022)<1st percentile-25 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2025-2026) ?

Science23%-29 vs state

English Language Arts20%-37 vs state

Mathematics8%-32 vs state

3.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

Rate Edith M Smith Middle School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a citizen
Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Love the Administration! Mrs. Brown is caring and understands how to meet emotional needs. She leads by example. Close Quote

Schools Near Edith M Smith Middle School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				ISA Science (2026)	IAR English Language Arts (2026)				IAR Mathematics (2026)				Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2026)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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	Vaccination: Measles protection (all grades)	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Edith M Smith Middle School	Public	6-8	930 New York St	Waukegan	60085	Lake County	Waukegan CUSD 60	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(224) 303-2760	493	44	11.2	72.2%	19 (3.9%)	53 (10.8%)	403 (81.7%)	3 (0.6%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (2.2%)	3.3	1115^th of 1126 public middle schools	1.0%		9.4	1324^th of 1368 public middle schools	3.2%	209	23.2	19.9	15.7	23.7	19.6		10.1	8.7	7.9	86.6%		$23,531	$1,766	$21,765
Miguel Juarez Middle School	Public	6-8	201 N Butrick St	Waukegan	60085	Lake County	Waukegan CUSD 60	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(224) 303-2660	651	61	10.6	69.6%	14 (2.2%)	66 (10.1%)	543 (83.4%)	10 (1.5%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (1.8%)	4.1	1111^th of 1126 public middle schools	1.3%		12	1276^th of 1368 public middle schools	6.7%	165	22.9	23.8	21.6	25.5	23.9		10.5	11.1	9.2	98.8%		$24,595	$1,806	$22,789
Robert E Abbott Middle School	Public	6-8	1319 Washington St	Waukegan	60085	Lake County	Waukegan CUSD 60	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(224) 303-2360	585	49	11.9	71.1%	14 (2.4%)	37 (6.3%)	523 (89.4%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	3.2	1116^th of 1126 public middle schools	0.9%		12.3	1269^th of 1368 public middle schools	7.2%	153	13.3	23.3	21.4	23.0	22.5	12.3	8.7	5.7	8.8	99.1%		$21,926	$1,700	$20,226
Jack Benny Middle School	Public	6-8	1401 Montesano Ave	Waukegan	60087	Lake County	Waukegan CUSD 60	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(224) 303-2470	475	38	12.5	62.1%	19 (4.0%)	47 (9.9%)	357 (75.2%)	34 (7.2%)	7 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.3%)	7.6	1068^th of 1126 public middle schools	5.2%		15.5	1206^th of 1368 public middle schools	11.8%	138	32.0	21.8	30.9	35.8	29.1		17.0	11.9	10.5	98.3%		$21,538	$1,566	$19,971
John R Lewis Middle School	Public	6-8	600 S Lewis Ave	Waukegan	60085	Lake County	Waukegan CUSD 60	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(224) 303-2560	721	64	11.2	74.1%	26 (3.6%)	101 (14.0%)	569 (78.9%)	9 (1.2%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	8 (1.1%)	15.2	975^th of 1126 public middle schools	13.4%		28.7	953^rd of 1368 public middle schools	30.3%	22	38.0	33.0	38.6	45.8	39.0	24.0	24.2	16.6	21.7	98.7%		$24,073	$1,643	$22,429
Viking School	Public	6-8	4460 Old Grand Ave	Gurnee	60031	Lake County	Gurnee School District 56	No	(n/a)	No	No	(847) 336-2108	461	39	11.8	54.4%	88 (19.1%)	108 (23.4%)	216 (46.9%)	17 (3.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.5%)	5.8	1093^rd of 1126 public middle schools	2.9%		19.1	1138^th of 1368 public middle schools	16.8%	45	32.0	22.6	22.8	25.8	23.7	11.0	11.8	14.0	12.2	99.1%		$20,081	$576	$19,506
Neal Math Science Academy	Public	6-8	1905 Argonne Dr	North Chicago	60064	Lake County	North Chicago School District 187	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(847) 689-6313	601	39	15.4	—	13 (2.2%)	202 (33.6%)	365 (60.7%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (2.5%)	5.8	1092^nd of 1126 public middle schools	3.0%		14.3	1225^th of 1368 public middle schools	10.5%	133	26.0	25.2	28.7	31.5	28.6	7.5	15.5	12.9	12.0	100%		$22,829	$1,185	$21,645
Zion Central Middle School	Public	6-8	1716 27th St	Zion	60099	Lake County	Zion Education Service District 6	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(847) 379-0227	330	30	11.1	85.5%	22 (6.7%)	85 (25.8%)	208 (63.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.9%)	4.7	1107^th of 1126 public middle schools	1.7%		11.1	1292^nd of 1368 public middle schools	5.6%	185	17.1	21.6	25.5	40.2	29.8				4.4	96.2%		$26,182	$883	$25,299
Shiloh Park Middle School	Public	6-8	2635 Gabriel Ave	Zion	60099	Lake County	Zion Education Service District 6	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(847) 379-0400	358	27	13.5	85.8%	9 (2.5%)	99 (27.7%)	233 (65.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.7%)	5.4	1099^th of 1126 public middle schools	2.4%		10.8	1298^th of 1368 public middle schools	5.1%	199	8.9	24.3	36.3	27.9	29.6		15.0		9.1	100%		$23,800	$701	$23,099
Beach Park Middle School	Public	6-8	40667 N Green Bay Rd	Beach Park	60099	Lake County	Beach Park CCSD 3	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(847) 596-5860	715	49	14.5	56.8%	68 (9.5%)	142 (19.9%)	451 (63.1%)	11 (1.5%)	5 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.3%)	8.1	1059^th of 1126 public middle schools	6.0%		16.8	1178^th of 1368 public middle schools	13.9%	119	26.9	35.3	26.5	39.0	33.6	19.0	14.1	10.9	14.7	99.2%		$22,945	$1,124	$21,822

Frequently Asked Questions about Edith M Smith Middle School

How many students attend Edith M Smith Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 493 students attended Edith M Smith Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Edith M Smith Middle School?

Students at Edith M Smith Middle School are 82% Hispanic, 11% African American, 4% White, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Edith M Smith Middle School in?

Waukegan CUSD 60

What high school do graduates of Edith M Smith Middle School attend?

Students who attend Edith M Smith Middle School usually go on to attend Waukegan High School

Is Edith M Smith Middle School a good school?

Edith M Smith Middle School ranks in the bottom 1.0% of Illinois middle schools.

Rate Edith M Smith Middle School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

ILIllinois Middle School Rankings

ILIllinois District Rankings

Schools in Waukegan, IL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Edith M Smith Middle School!

Latest Illinois data All new data »

2025–26 school spending dataOct 30, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesOct 30, 2026

2025–26 ACT, IAR, ISA & PreACT Secure test scoresOct 30, 2026

2013–14 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

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.