Summary:
The middle schools located in the 60827 zip code area, Calumet Elementary School and Washington Junior High, are facing significant challenges in terms of academic performance, with both schools ranking in the bottom 15% of Illinois middle schools according to the SchoolDigger rankings. The data indicates that these schools serve communities with significant socioeconomic challenges, as evidenced by the high rates of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch and the high chronic absenteeism rates.
Academically, both schools have consistently low proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics compared to state averages, with no signs of significant improvement over the past three school years. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, Calumet Elementary School had only 37.9% of students proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 53.1%, and only 4.8% proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 38.5%. Washington Junior High had slightly better performance, but still well below state averages.
Despite the high spending per student at both schools, the academic outcomes remain poor, raising questions about the effectiveness of how resources are being allocated and utilized within these schools. Additionally, the fact that both schools are located in districts that are ranked in the bottom 3% of Illinois school districts suggests that there may be broader, district-level challenges that are impacting the performance of these individual schools. Addressing these issues will likely require a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach that addresses both school-level and district-level factors.
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