Summary:
The Pembroke CCSD 259 district in Illinois consists of a single school, Lorenzo R. Smith Elementary School, which serves grades PK-8. This school faces significant challenges, with consistently low academic performance, high chronic absenteeism, and a student population that is predominantly African American and Hispanic.
Lorenzo R. Smith Elementary School has proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science that are well below the state averages, ranging from as low as 0% in some grades to just over 60% in the best-performing subject and grade level. The school's chronic absenteeism rate is extremely high at 42.2%, further hindering student achievement. Despite relatively high per-student spending of $23,881, the school has struggled to drive meaningful improvements, suggesting that simply increasing funding may not be enough to address the underlying issues.
The challenges facing Lorenzo R. Smith Elementary School appear to be systemic, as the Pembroke CCSD 259 district is ranked 771 out of 823 districts in Illinois and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Addressing the educational inequities and improving outcomes for the students at this school will likely require a comprehensive, district-wide approach that goes beyond just increasing resources and focuses on evidence-based interventions tailored to the specific needs of the community.
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