Summary:
The city of Gillespie, Illinois is home to three schools serving students from elementary through high school: Ben-Gil Elementary School, Gillespie High School, and Gillespie Middle School. These schools are part of the Gillespie CUSD 7 district, which is consistently ranked in the bottom half of Illinois districts with a 2-star rating.
Among the three schools, Ben-Gil Elementary School stands out as a top performer, ranking in the top 34% of Illinois elementary schools in 2023-2024 and outperforming the district and state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency. The school's 4th and 5th grade students, in particular, demonstrate strong ELA proficiency, with over 50% scoring proficient or better. In contrast, Gillespie High School lags behind the state in SAT proficiency, with only 11.8% and 13.2% of 11th graders scoring proficient or better in Mathematics and ELA, respectively.
Despite the academic strengths of Ben-Gil Elementary School and the Mathematics and Science proficiency at Gillespie Middle School, all three schools in Gillespie face challenges with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 18% to 26.6%. Additionally, the high rates of free/reduced lunch at Ben-Gil Elementary and Gillespie Middle School suggest these schools serve a predominantly low-income student population, which may contribute to the academic challenges faced by these institutions.
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