Summary:
The 61335 zip code in Illinois has only one middle school, Putnam County Junior High School, which serves students in grades 6-8. As the sole middle school option in the area, it plays a crucial role in the local community's education landscape.
Putnam County Junior High School is part of the Putnam County CUSD 535 district, which is ranked 430 out of 811 districts in Illinois and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance has fluctuated in recent years, with its statewide ranking ranging from 612 out of 1,368 Illinois middle schools in 2024-2025 (3-star rating) to 731 out of 1,363 in 2023-2024 (2-star rating). Academically, the school struggles, with 47.4% of students proficient or better in ELA and 27.3% proficient or better in Math, generally below district and state averages. However, the school performs better in 8th grade science, with 57.4% of students proficient or better, exceeding the state average.
Demographic challenges may be impacting the school's performance, as it has a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at 43.27% in 2023-2024 and a chronic absenteeism rate of 25.4% in the 2024-2025 school year. With limited options for public middle school education in the 61335 zip code, the community may benefit from further investigation into the root causes of these challenges and potential strategies for improvement at Putnam County Junior High School.
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