Summary:
The 60408 zip code area is home to 3 schools - 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high school - all part of the Reed Custer CUSD 255U district. While the schools face some common challenges, such as high chronic absenteeism rates, the Reed-Custer Middle School stands out as a top performer, consistently ranking in the top 25% of Illinois middle schools and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.
The middle school's strong academic outcomes, particularly in English Language Arts, significantly outpace the district and state averages. In contrast, the Reed-Custer Elementary School and Reed-Custer High School have below-average test scores in math compared to the district and state. The high school also struggles with lower ACT and SAT scores across both ELA and math.
Despite these differences, all three schools share some common challenges, including high free/reduced lunch rates, indicating significant economic challenges for the student population. The district should investigate the root causes of the high chronic absenteeism rates and implement strategies to improve student attendance, which is likely contributing to the lower academic performance, especially in math. By learning from the success of the middle school and addressing the district-wide issues, the Reed Custer CUSD 255U has an opportunity to raise achievement across all grade levels.
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