Summary:
The 60402 zip code in Illinois is home to a single high school, J Sterling Morton West High School, which serves a large student population of 3,497 students. While the school's 4-year graduation rate of 89.0% is slightly below the state average, it faces several challenges, including a high chronic absenteeism rate of 25.4% and academic performance that is generally below state averages across subjects like English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science.
One of the most notable characteristics of J Sterling Morton West High School is the high percentage of students (78.84%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a significant level of economic disadvantage among the student population. This socioeconomic factor may be contributing to the school's academic challenges and lower performance. Additionally, the school's per-student spending of $16,705 is higher than the state average, suggesting that additional resources are being directed towards the school, but the academic outcomes have not yet reflected this investment.
The school's statewide ranking has declined over the past three years, from 493 out of 697 Illinois high schools in 2023-2024 to 501 out of 698 in 2024-2025, indicating that the school may be falling behind its peers in terms of overall performance and quality. Addressing the root causes of the school's academic underperformance, chronic absenteeism, and declining statewide ranking will be crucial for J S Morton HSD 201 to provide a high-quality education for its students and improve student outcomes.
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