Summary:
The city of Ford Heights, Illinois is home to two struggling schools - Medgar Evers Primary Acadmc Center, an elementary school, and Cottage Grove Upper Grade Center, a middle school. Both schools serve a predominantly low-income student population, with over 90% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite relatively high per-student spending and low student-teacher ratios, the schools consistently underperform academically, with very low proficiency rates on state assessments that are well below the state averages.
Medgar Evers Primary Acadmc Center struggles the most, with only 2.7% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 30.6%. The school also has an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of 49.2%, which likely contributes to its poor academic outcomes. Cottage Grove Upper Grade Center performs slightly better, with 28.6% of 8th graders proficient or better in ELA, but this is still far below the state average of 49.9%.
The broader Ford Heights School District 169, which encompasses both schools, is also struggling, ranking 794th out of 813 districts in Illinois and receiving a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Addressing the challenges faced by these schools will likely require a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach that goes beyond simply increasing funding and resources.
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