Summary:
The 61790 zip code area is home to two exceptional schools - University High School and Thomas Metcalf School, both part of the ISU Laboratory Schools district. University High School stands out as an exceptional institution, consistently ranked among the top 10-20 high schools in Illinois and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. In contrast, while Thomas Metcalf School also performs well above state averages, it does not reach the same level of excellence as the high school.
University High School boasts impressive test scores, with over 80% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, 73.6% in Mathematics, and 83.8% in Science on the ACT. The school also has a high 4-year graduation rate of 89% and a relatively low dropout rate of 2.4%. Thomas Metcalf School, on the other hand, has strong but not as high test scores, with 72.4% proficient or better in English Language Arts and 65.2% in Mathematics across all grades.
The stark contrast in performance between the two schools, despite being part of the same district, suggests that University High School may be driving the district's overall strong ranking and performance. Additionally, the significant difference in student-teacher ratios, with University High having 14.2 students per teacher and Thomas Metcalf having 9.1, may also contribute to the differing levels of academic achievement. Overall, the data highlights the excellence of University High School, which provides a high-quality education that prepares students for success.
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