Best Public Schools in Zip Code 62526

The 62526 zip code area in Illinois is home to two schools - Stephen Decatur Middle School and Robertson Charter School. While both schools serve economically disadvantaged populations, with 66-77% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, their academic performance varies significantly.

Robertson Charter School appears to be the higher-performing school, with significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics across most grade levels, outperforming both the Decatur School District 61 and state averages. In contrast, Stephen Decatur Middle School has very low proficiency rates, ranking in the bottom 5-10% of Illinois middle schools in recent years and performing well below the district and state averages.

Both schools face challenges, with high chronic absenteeism rates around 25%, significantly above state averages. While Stephen Decatur Middle School spends $22,355 per student, significantly more than the $18,507 spent per student at Robertson Charter School, this higher spending does not appear to be translating into better academic performance. Additionally, the very high student-teacher ratio of 55.3 at Robertson Charter School may be a contributing factor to its lower test scores relative to its ELA proficiency advantage.