Summary:
The city of Vandalia, Illinois is home to 3 public schools serving students from elementary through high school, all part of the Vandalia CUSD 203 district. While the middle school, Vandalia Junior High School, has consistently performed well, the elementary and high schools face some challenges, including lower test scores and high chronic absenteeism rates.
Vandalia Elementary School lags behind the district and state averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency, indicating a need for targeted academic support. In contrast, Vandalia Junior High School has a 3-star rating and generally performs on par with or slightly above the district and state in assessments, particularly in English Language Arts. However, Vandalia Community High School struggles, with lower test scores, a high chronic absenteeism rate of 33.6%, and a fluctuating ranking that indicates inconsistent performance.
Across all three schools, the high rates of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 54.4% to 62.92%, suggest that the district may need to address issues of equity and provide additional resources to support economically disadvantaged students. Additionally, the relatively high student-teacher ratios, especially at the elementary and middle school levels, could be a factor in the academic performance of the schools, and examining staffing and resource allocation decisions may provide insights into how to better support student learning.
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