Summary:
The 61103 zip code area of Rockford, Illinois is home to two middle schools - West Middle School and Thurgood Marshall School. While both schools serve students in grades 6-8, they exhibit stark differences in academic performance and overall school quality.
Thurgood Marshall School stands out as a high-performing institution, ranking 1st out of 1,368 Illinois middle schools for the 2024-2025 school year and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. In contrast, West Middle School is ranked 1,257th and has a 0-star rating. Thurgood Marshall School boasts significantly higher proficiency rates on state assessments, with 98.4% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 92.4% in mathematics, far exceeding the district and state averages.
Despite serving students in the same zip code and being part of the Rockford School District 205, the two schools exhibit notable differences in student demographics and resource allocation. West Middle School has a higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at 79.6%, compared to 30.02% at Thurgood Marshall School. However, per-student spending and student-teacher ratios are similar between the two schools, suggesting that factors beyond just funding and resources may be contributing to the differences in student outcomes.
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