Middle Schools in Marion Community Schools

Marion Community Schools serves middle school students across two distinct institutions: Justice Thurgood Marshall Intrmd, catering to grades 5-6, and John L McCulloch Junior High School, serving grades 7-8. Both schools are located within the Marion Community Schools district, which serves a population with significant socioeconomic needs, as indicated by high free/reduced lunch rates.

When comparing the two middle schools, John L McCulloch Junior High School demonstrates a notable strength in science, with higher proficiency rates in Biology for End of Course exams compared to district and state averages. In contrast, Justice Thurgood Marshall Intrmd shows slightly higher proficiency in 5th-grade English Language Arts and Math compared to the district averages for those specific grades. However, overall academic performance for both schools, and by extension the Marion Community Schools district, generally lags behind state averages in most tested subjects.

Several key metrics highlight differences and commonalities. Both schools share an identical chronic absenteeism rate of 17.8%, suggesting a district-wide challenge. John L McCulloch Junior High School receives significantly more funding per student ($14,980) than Justice Thurgood Marshall Intrmd ($13,123) and maintains a slightly lower student-teacher ratio (12.6 vs. 13.5), potentially allowing for more individualized attention. A significant disparity exists in math proficiency, with Justice Thurgood Marshall Intrmd showing substantially higher rates in the 2023-2024 school year.