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Central Junior High School

Q: Is Central Junior High School a good school?

Central Junior High School ranks 942 nd of 1368 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 7-8

942^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,368 Illinois Middle Schools

Better than 31% of Illinois middle schools

Summary

Central Junior High School is a public middle school in West Frankfort, Illinois, serving 218 students in grades 7-8. The school is part of the Frankfort CUSD 168 district, which is ranked 664 out of 811 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Central Junior High School has consistently low performance compared to the state and nearby schools. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 40.5% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, and just 12.4% were proficient in Mathematics, significantly below the state averages. The school's statewide ranking has dropped from 685 out of 1,369 Illinois middle schools in 2021-2022 to 942 out of 1,368 in 2024-2025. Subgroups like White students, Special Education students, and Low Socio-Economic Status students also perform well below their peers across the state. Additionally, Central Junior High has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 37%, much higher than the state average.

While the school's spending per student has increased over the years, reaching $17,037 in 2023-2024, its academic performance remains low compared to nearby schools like Sesser-Valier Junior High School, Carterville Intermediate School, and Carterville Junior High School, which have higher proficiency rates and lower chronic absenteeism. Central Junior High's exceptional performance in serving its homeless student population, however, suggests the school may have strategies that could be applied more broadly to improve overall student outcomes.

215

Students ?

11.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,429

Per pupil spending ?

53.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1600 E 9th St
West Frankfort, IL 62896-1600

(618) 937-2444

District: Frankfort CUSD 168

Students who attend Central Junior High School usually attend:

High:

Frankfort Community High School

Feeder schools for Central Junior High School:

Elementary:	Denning Elementary School
	Frankfort Intermediate School

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.7%

Hispanic:

4.2%

Two or more races:

3.3%

See top rated Illinois middle schools

Compare Central Junior High School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 50th percentile in 2022 → 31st in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Illinois average (31% vs 46% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (37% vs 25% Illinois)

!Ranking has slipped from its 50th-percentile peak (2022) to 31st (2025)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school31%

District avg36%

Illinois avg46%

942^nd of 1,368

Illinois public middle schools ?

Bottom 31%▲ up 20 pts since 2015

From bottom 11% (2015) to bottom 31% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

664^th of 811Frankfort CUSD 168 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	29.7	942 of 1368	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.2	919 of 1363	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.8	795 of 1367	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.0	685 of 1369	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	27.7	872 of 1241	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	28.5	965 of 1356	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.0	1034 of 1293	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	15.8	1137 of 1293	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	19.9	1094 of 1294	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	15.6	1156 of 1302	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	37.3	866 of 1322	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	34.9	945 of 1367	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2012	26.3	1093 of 1365	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	12.2	1231 of 1344	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	16.9	1154 of 1327	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	23.9	1064 of 1318	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	38.7	897 of 1293	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	26.1	1023 of 1287	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	26.1	1005 of 1272	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	68.9	424 of 1209	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2004	50.7	686 of 1204	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2003	63.3	484 of 1185	59.2%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	34.7	422 of 694	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	28.4	492 of 639	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	35.6	407 of 674	39.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	35.5	791 of 1248	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.3	795 of 1251	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.6	805 of 1275	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.3	674 of 1286	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	30.0	699 of 1017	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.4	852 of 1276	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	22.6	968 of 1226	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2022	59.5	8 of 34	76.5%	★★★★☆
2019	72.9	5 of 36	86.1%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	38.0	747 of 1229	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.9	731 of 1219	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.8	677 of 1234	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	50.5	509 of 1221	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	32.1	698 of 1019	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	30.6	896 of 1217	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.3	1025 of 1161	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	25.9	918 of 1271	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.2	923 of 1264	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	43.2	655 of 1292	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.7	639 of 1286	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	20.7	873 of 1048	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.0	972 of 1296	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.7	1020 of 1223	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	27.6	564 of 812	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	24.0	661 of 802	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.2	689 of 805	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.5	516 of 781	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	26.0	472 of 548	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.5	593 of 792	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.6	570 of 602	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	10.8	834 of 884	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	14.3	787 of 875	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.4	745 of 895	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.0	702 of 898	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.0	730 of 813	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	11.1	848 of 905	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.2	852 of 889	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

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 (2022)76th percentile+27 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)39th percentile+8 vs school

Disabled (2025)39th percentile+8 vs school

Female (2025)37th percentile+5 vs school

Special Education (2025)31st percentile~ school

Male (2025)28th percentile-3 vs school

White (2025)6th percentile-25 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts40%-13 vs state

Science39%-6 vs state

Mathematics12%-26 vs state

★

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Schools Near Central Junior High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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
Central Junior High School	Public	7-8	1600 E 9th St	West Frankfort	62896	Franklin County	Frankfort CUSD 168	No	(n/a)	No	No	(618) 937-2444	215	19	11.2	53.5%	195 (90.7%)	4 (1.9%)	9 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.3%)	29.7	942^nd of 1368 public middle schools	31.1%		29.2	919^th of 1363 public middle schools	32.6%	23		39.4				39.0	41.9	40.5				11.4	13.5	12.4	99.1	99.1	99.1	99.1	99.1	99.1	99.1	98.2	$15,429	$361	$15,069
Benton Grade School 5-8	Public	5-8	1000 Forrest St	Benton	62812	Franklin County	Benton CCSD 47	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 438-4011	429	34	12.6	61.1%	400 (93.2%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.3%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.1%)	54.5	565^th of 1368 public middle schools	58.7%		47	636^th of 1363 public middle schools	53.3%	71	35.4	54.0		41.2	48.5	40.5	78.4	50.7		35.1	20.8	24.3	38.6	29.5	98.2	98.4	98.4	98.4	98.2	98.2	98.2	74.9	$14,282	$939	$13,343
Washington Middle School	Public	5-8	100 E 12th St	Johnston City	62951	Williamson County	Johnston City CUSD 1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 983-7581	296	24	12.4	62.2%	261 (88.2%)	4 (1.4%)	13 (4.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.7%)	27.1	980^th of 1368 public middle schools	28.4%		23.5	1031^st of 1363 public middle schools	24.4%	51	34.3	35.5		46.3	35.4	24.2	44.7	38.0		19.4	12.3	18.2	17.1	16.8	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	74.8	$15,912	$1,409	$14,503
Starquest Academy RSSP North	Public	6-8	901 Public Sq	Benton	62812	Franklin County	Frankln/Johnsn/Massc/Willimsn ROE	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(618) 983-6628	0	1	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Zeigler-Royalton Junior High School	Public	6-8	4877 State Highway 148	Mulkeytown	62865	Franklin County	Zeigler-Royalton CUSD 188	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 596-2121	100	8	12.5	63.0%	90 (90.0%)	1 (1.0%)	3 (3.0%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.0%)	25.4	1006^th of 1368 public middle schools	26.5%		18.2	1147^th of 1363 public middle schools	15.8%	141		41.2			34.6	28.2	38.2	33.3			15.4	5.1	14.7	11.1	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	96.2	$15,335	$1,107	$14,228
Herrin Middle School	Public	6-8	700 S 14th St	Herrin	62948	Williamson County	Herrin CUSD 4	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 942-7461	513	39	13.2	66.1%	401 (78.2%)	25 (4.9%)	22 (4.3%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (11.5%)	66.2	409^th of 1368 public middle schools	70.1%		63.9	406^th of 1363 public middle schools	70.2%	3		49.0			57.6	65.8	67.7	63.6			28.2	34.8	46.5	36.2	99.2	99.4	99.4	99.4	99.4	98.8	99.4	98.0	$14,471	$1,216	$13,255
Marion Junior High School	Public	6-8	1609 W Main St	Marion	62959	Williamson County	Marion CUSD 2	No	(n/a)	No	No	(618) 997-1317	742	49	15.2	56.7%	541 (72.9%)	75 (10.1%)	55 (7.4%)	6 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (8.5%)	43.7	717^th of 1368 public middle schools	47.6%		51.1	585^th of 1363 public middle schools	57.1%	132		32.0			46.5	34.9	50.0	43.8			29.0	29.8	35.4	31.4	98.7	98.9	98.9	98.9	98.6	97.3	98.6	96.9	$13,166	$1,222	$11,944
Carterville Intermediate School	Public	4-6	300 School St	Carterville	62918	Williamson County	Carterville CUSD 5	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 985-6411	500	36	14.0	46.8%	411 (82.2%)	19 (3.8%)	23 (4.6%)	20 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.4%)								(n/a)	53.2		70.3	72.3	81.3			74.8	66.2	74.0	60.8			67.1	98.8	98.8	98.8	98.8	64.5	98.8	98.8	30.1	$10,990	$320	$10,670
Carterville Junior High School	Public	7-8	816 S Division St	Carterville	62918	Williamson County	Carterville CUSD 5	No	(n/a)	No	No	(618) 985-4500	344	23	14.8	45.3%	272 (79.1%)	9 (2.6%)	26 (7.6%)	8 (2.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.1%)	76.1	289^th of 1368 public middle schools	78.9%		85.5	164^th of 1363 public middle schools	88.0%	125		53.0				59.7	70.5	65.2				57.2	43.4	50.2	99.7	99.7	99.7	99.7	99.7	99.7	99.7	99.1	$12,153	$311	$11,842
Sesser-Valier Junior High School	Public	6-8	4626 State Highway 154	Sesser	62884	Franklin County	Sesser-Valier CUSD 196	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(618) 625-5105	121	8	14.6	66.1%	112 (92.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (5.0%)	53.2	578^th of 1368 public middle schools	57.7%		64.7	397^th of 1363 public middle schools	70.9%	181		37.2			46.3	69.2	72.1	62.6			22.0	25.6	27.9	25.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	98.5	$13,561	$1,400	$12,161

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Junior High School

Is Central Junior High School a good school?

Central Junior High School ranks 942^nd of 1368 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Central Junior High School in?

Frankfort CUSD 168

How many students attend Central Junior High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 215 students attended Central Junior High School.

What is the racial makeup of Central Junior High School?

Students at Central Junior High School are 91% White, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What high school do graduates of Central Junior High School attend?

Students who attend Central Junior High School usually go on to attend Frankfort Community High School

Rate Central Junior High School!

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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.