Summary:
There is only one middle school located in the 60436 zip code - Dirksen Junior High School, which serves grades 6-8 and is part of the Joliet PSD 86 district. This school has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Illinois middle schools over the past 3 years, with low academic performance across all grade levels and subject areas. The school faces significant challenges, including a high chronic absenteeism rate, a very high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, and relatively high spending per student despite a high student-teacher ratio.
Dirksen Junior High School's academic performance is significantly below state averages, with only 29.5% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts in the 2024-2025 school year, compared to the state average of 53.1%. The school's ranking has been between 960 and 1175 out of around 1,365 Illinois middle schools over the past 3 years, placing it in the bottom quarter of schools statewide.
The data suggests that the challenges facing Dirksen Junior High School are not unique to the 2024-2025 school year, but rather are part of a longer-term trend. Addressing these issues will likely require a multi-faceted approach involving increased resources, targeted interventions, and a focus on addressing the root causes of the school's underperformance, such as the socioeconomic challenges faced by the student population.
Thank you for your feedback!