Summary:
Steger School District 194 in Illinois has only one middle school, Columbia Central School, which serves grades 6-8. The school faces significant challenges, with declining performance rankings, large gaps in academic proficiency, and high levels of economic disadvantage among its student population.
Columbia Central School's ranking has dropped from 924 out of 1,367 Illinois middle schools in 2022-2023 to 729 out of 1,363 in the current 2023-2024 school year, indicating a concerning trend. While the school's English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency rates are generally higher than the district and state averages, its math and science proficiency rates are significantly lower, with only 9.4% of students proficient or better in math compared to 28.4% statewide. This suggests the school needs to focus on improving its math and science instruction and support for students in these subject areas.
Additionally, 84.25% of Columbia Central School's students receive free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage. Despite the school district spending $16,465 per student, which is higher than the state average, the school's academic performance is still lagging behind. This suggests that simply increasing funding may not be enough to improve outcomes, and the school may need to examine how resources are being allocated and identify more effective strategies for supporting student learning.
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