Is Alton Middle School a good school?

Alton Middle School ranks 1007 th of 1363 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Alton Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,219 students attended Alton Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Alton Middle School?

Students at Alton Middle School are 53% White, 29% African American, 13% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

What high school do graduates of Alton Middle School attend?

Students who attend Alton Middle School usually go on to attend Alton High School

Alton Middle School

Summary:

Alton Middle School is a public middle school located in Alton, Illinois, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,241 students. The school is part of the Alton CUSD 11 district, which is ranked 641 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Alton Middle School has struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 29.9% in 2023-2024 to a peak of 51.6% in 2021-2022, which is significantly higher than the state average. The school's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) and Illinois Science Assessment (ISA), is consistently below state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 25.1% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 41.2%, and only 11.6% were proficient or better in Math, compared to the state average of 28.4%. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with African American students performing particularly poorly compared to their White peers.

Despite increased per-student spending, from $10,641 in 2020-2021 to $15,028 in 2022-2023, Alton Middle School's performance is generally lower than that of nearby middle schools, such as Southwestern Middle School, Liberty Middle School, and Wilbur Trimpe Middle School, which have higher proficiency rates, lower chronic absenteeism, and better overall rankings from SchoolDigger. The school's high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 57.29% receiving free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023, likely contributes to the academic challenges faced by the school, particularly for vulnerable student populations like the homeless.

Detail:

Public 6-8

2200 College Ave
Alton, IL 62002-4602

(618) 474-2200

District: Alton CUSD 11

SchoolDigger Rank:
1007^th of 1,363 Illinois Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,178

Students who attend Alton Middle School usually attend:

High:

Alton High School

Feeder schools for Alton Middle School:

Elementary:	East Elementary School
	Eunice Smith Elementary School
	Gilson Brown Elementary School
	Lewis & Clark Elementary School
	More...
	Lovejoy Elementary School
	North Elementary School
	West Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.6

Number of students: 1,219

Racial breakdown:

White:

52.7%

African American:

29.5%

Two or more races:

12.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 52.9%

See top rated Illinois middle schools

Compare Alton Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Alton Middle School ranks worse than 73.9% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.71. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Alton Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (52.7%), African American (29.5%), two or more races (12.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 52.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Alton Middle School is 13.6. (See more...)

Compare Alton Middle School employs 89 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Alton Middle School is $15,178.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Alton Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Alton Middle School 1007^th of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Alton Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Alton CUSD 11:

SchoolDigger ranks Alton CUSD 11 641^st of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Alton Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2007	28.25	1003^rd	1287	22.1%
2008	28.01	1008^th	1293	22.0%
2009	26.81	1035^th	1318	21.5%
2010	23.68	1087^th	1327	18.1%
2011	14.13	1210^th	1344	10.0%
2012	13.51	1233^rd	1365	9.7%
2013	24.42	1093^rd	1367	20.0%
2014	29.10	987^th	1322	25.3%
2015	38.02	748^th	1302	42.5%
2016	38.59	759^th	1294	41.3%
2017	30.95	884^th	1293	31.6%
2018	30.29	892^nd	1293	31.0%
2019	35.24	843^rd	1356	37.8%
2021	23.72	949^th	1241	23.5%
2022	25.04	998^th	1369	27.1%
2023	27.49	954^th	1367	30.2%
2024	24.71	1007^th	1363	26.1%

See the entire list of Illinois Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	25.11	122^nd	164	25.6%
2019	25.00	132^nd	179	26.3%
2021	16.64	85^th	97	12.4%
2022	12.62	182^nd	195	6.7%
2023	15.44	174^th	194	10.3%
2024	14.00	170^th	184	7.6%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	35.46	355^th	602	41.0%
2019	31.39	542^nd	792	31.6%
2021	32.04	380^th	548	30.7%
2022	30.32	590^th	781	24.5%
2023	29.01	566^th	805	29.7%
2024	29.51	561^st	802	30.0%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	27.34	896^th	1161	22.8%
2019	28.36	933^rd	1217	23.3%
2021	22.28	884^th	1019	13.2%
2022	23.86	1016^th	1221	16.8%
2023	25.37	979^th	1234	20.7%
2024	22.36	1020^th	1219	16.3%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	54.78	12^th	36	66.7%
2023	23.17	51^st	53	3.8%
2024	44.86	39^th	70	44.3%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	30.43	864^th	1226	29.5%
2019	36.08	816^th	1276	36.1%
2021	22.56	814^th	1017	20.0%
2022	26.86	918^th	1286	28.6%
2023	27.07	914^th	1275	28.3%
2024	24.01	945^th	1251	24.5%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	30.71	476^th	674	29.4%
2024	38.29	347^th	639	45.7%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	30.35	829^th	1223	32.2%
2019	35.07	800^th	1296	38.3%
2021	21.64	862^nd	1048	17.7%
2022	24.34	969^th	1286	24.7%
2023	28.23	904^th	1292	30.0%
2024	25.71	910^th	1264	28.0%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	35.58	331^st	511	35.2%
2019	32.94	394^th	565	30.3%
2021	29.72	293^rd	385	23.9%
2022	27.77	471^st	573	17.8%
2023	31.06	407^th	569	28.5%
2024	26.68	431^st	548	21.4%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	45.19	300^th	590	49.2%
2019	35.64	414^th	639	35.2%
2021	27.79	403^rd	517	22.1%
2022	41.00	364^th	662	45.0%
2023	25.70	525^th	661	20.6%
2024	38.23	368^th	643	42.8%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Alton Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	22.85	733^rd	889	17.5%
2019	30.17	641^st	905	29.2%
2021	19.95	679^th	813	16.5%
2022	18.87	776^th	898	13.6%
2023	21.93	762^nd	895	14.9%
2024	18.26	748^th	875	14.5%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for Alton Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2007	921	624	11	9	5	n/a	n/a	1	1571
2008	867	541	13	12	4	n/a	n/a	10	1447
2009	909	529	8	13	4	n/a	n/a	32	1495
2010	876	494	9	24	10	n/a	n/a	44	1457
2011	820	430	5	36	3	0	103	0	1397
2012	806	399	11	24	3	0	108	0	1351
2013	835	409	13	29	2	0	112	0	1400
2014	817	409	14	34	3	0	123	0	1400
2015	838	407	12	39	2	0	126	0	1424
2016	794	425	13	32	3	0	121	0	1388
2017	766	443	8	35	1	0	146	0	1399
2018	769	452	6	31	1	0	149	0	1408
2019	743	442	7	55	1	0	153	0	1401
2020	698	439	6	47	0	0	151	0	1341
2021	699	457	5	61	0	0	166	0	1388
2022	655	392	7	53	1	0	162	0	1270
2023	646	381	6	56	1	0	151	0	1241
2024	643	359	6	53	1	0	157	0	1219

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Alton Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	1571	77.0	20.4	n/a
2008	1447	84.0	17.2	n/a
2009	1495	111.3	13.4	54.7
2010	1457	108.5	13.4	60
2011	1397	104.7	13.3	60.1
2012	1351	101.7	13.2	60.8
2013	1400	157.8	8.8	60.3
2014	1400	104.6	13.3	61.1
2015	1424	102.0	13.9	64.6
2016	1388	100.0	13.8	53.9
2017	1399	100.4	13.9	57.6
2018	1408	98.0	14.3	59.4
2019	1401	101.0	13.8	56.7
2020	1341	101.0	13.2	54.8
2021	1388	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	1270	100.2	12.6	51.2
2023	1241	93.0	13.3	57.3
2024	1219	89.0	13.6	52.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Alton Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	1571	77.0	20.4	n/a
2008	1447	84.0	17.2	n/a
2009	1495	111.3	13.4	54.7
2010	1457	108.5	13.4	60
2011	1397	104.7	13.3	60.1
2012	1351	101.7	13.2	60.8
2013	1400	157.8	8.8	60.3
2014	1400	104.6	13.3	61.1
2015	1424	102.0	13.9	64.6
2016	1388	100.0	13.8	53.9
2017	1399	100.4	13.9	57.6
2018	1408	98.0	14.3	59.4
2019	1401	101.0	13.8	56.7
2020	1341	101.0	13.2	54.8
2021	1388	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	1270	100.2	12.6	51.2
2023	1241	93.0	13.3	57.3
2024	1219	89.0	13.6	52.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

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