Summary:
Three schools serve ZIP code 60436 across grades pre-K–8: Dirksen Junior High School (grades 6–8), Lynne Thigpen Elementary School (K–5), and Rockdale Elementary School (pre-K–8). The clearest area-wide concern is math: the schools’ average all-grades result fell from 15% in 2024–25 to 12% in 2025–26, while the state result rose from 39% to 40%.
Rockdale stands out in reported grade-matched ELA and science results, while its all-grades math result is the lowest. In 2025–26, it led the other school with a reported result by 20 percentage points in grade 3 ELA (37%), 41 points in grade 5 ELA (70%), and 18 points in grade 8 ELA (52%); it also led in grade 5 and grade 8 science by 8 and 36 points. Its grade 5 ELA and grade 8 science results were above state results by 16 and 12 points. In contrast, its all-grades math result was 8%, compared with 13% at Lynne Thigpen and 15% at Dirksen. Lynne had the lowest all-grades ELA result, 25%, versus 35% at Dirksen and 39% at Rockdale.
Trends also separate the schools: all-grades ELA improved on average by 5 percentage points over the two years, while math fell by 3 points. Grade 5 science rose by an average of 23 points across Lynne and Rockdale, and grade 8 science by 13 points across Dirksen and Rockdale; Rockdale’s grade 8 science result moved from below state to 12 points above it. SchoolDigger’s statewide percentile rose for Rockdale from 27 in 2023–24 to 46 in 2025–26, while Dirksen fell from 30 to 8 and Lynne from 15 to 6; its 2025–26 ratings were two stars for Rockdale and zero for the other two. Rockdale also had the lowest student-teacher ratio (10.6) and chronic absenteeism (17%). For 2024–25, free/reduced lunch eligible shares were 71% at Rockdale and 94% at Lynne; Dirksen reported “all students receive free meals (Community Eligibility)” for that school year. These are contextual differences, not explanations for school results. Because grade spans differ, all-grades results are not fully comparable.
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