Summary:
The Waukegan CUSD 60 school district in Illinois operates 5 middle schools serving grades 6-8. These schools face significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates well below state averages in both English Language Arts and Math. However, some schools within the district stand out as relatively stronger performers.
John R Lewis Middle School ranks higher than the other Waukegan middle schools, though still in the bottom third of Illinois middle schools. It has the highest proficiency rates in ELA and Math among the Waukegan middle schools, as well as a lower chronic absenteeism rate of 39%. Edith M Smith Middle School also has the second highest proficiency rates in ELA and Math, and a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 10.5.
Overall, the Waukegan CUSD 60 middle schools face significant challenges, with proficiency rates ranging from 2.4% to 12.8% in Math and 17% to 26.8% in ELA, well below the state averages. Chronic absenteeism rates are also very high, ranging from 26.1% to 42.5%. Despite high spending per student, the district appears to be struggling to drive academic improvements, suggesting the need for targeted interventions and best practice sharing across the middle school system.
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