Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Summary:

Henry W Cowherd Middle School is a public middle school located in Aurora, Illinois, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 883 students. The school is part of the Aurora East Unified School District 131, which is ranked 785 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Henry W Cowherd Middle School consistently performs below the state and district averages in standardized test scores for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 15.8% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 41.2% statewide and 17.4% in the district. Similarly, only 5.8% were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 28.4% statewide and 8.4% in the district. The school has also experienced high rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 4.9% in 2021-2022 to 25.4% in 2020-2021, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with African American and Hispanic students performing significantly worse than their peers.

When comparing Henry W Cowherd Middle School to other nearby schools in the same district, such as K.D. Waldo Middle School and C.F. Simmons Middle School, the performance gap is evident. These nearby schools, while still below state averages, generally outperform Henry W Cowherd Middle School in academic measures. The data also includes information about Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy, a higher-performing middle school in the same district, which highlights the potential impact of specialized programs and targeted resources on student achievement.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 441 N Farnsworth Ave
       Aurora, IL  60505-3010


(630) 299-5900

District: Aurora East Unified School District 131

SchoolDigger Rank:
1228th of 1,363 Illinois Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $19,195 Help


Students who attend Henry W Cowherd Middle School usually attend:

High:    East High School

Feeder schools for Henry W Cowherd Middle School:

Elementary:    C I Johnson Elementary School
    Oak Park Elementary School
    Olney C Allen Elementary School
    W S Beaupre Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.6 Help
Number of students:  883

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
83.9%
African American:
12.7%
White:
1.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  72.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Henry W Cowherd Middle School ranks worse than 90.1% of middle schools in Illinois. It also ranks 3rd among 4 ranked middle schools in the Aurora East Unified School District 131. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.06. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
Help
Compare Details Henry W Cowherd Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Aurora East Unified School District 131.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Henry W Cowherd Middle School is $19,195, which is the lowest among 4 middle schools in the Aurora East Unified School District 131!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Henry W Cowherd Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Henry W Cowherd Middle School 1228th of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Henry W Cowherd Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


Aurora East Unified School District 131:

SchoolDigger ranks Aurora East Unified School District 131 785th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Henry W Cowherd Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 7.21 1092nd 1185 7.8%
2004 8.32 1089th 1204 9.6%
2005 10.71 1054th 1209 12.8%
2006 12.05 1124th 1272 11.6%
2007 14.10 1122nd 1287 12.8%
2008 16.89 1104th 1293 14.6%
2009 16.40 1138th 1318 13.7%
2010 17.09 1152nd 1327 13.2%
2011 11.77 1236th 1344 8.0%
2012 14.12 1223rd 1365 10.4%
2013 13.63 1225th 1367 10.4%
2014 13.63 1197th 1322 9.5%
2015 15.39 1158th 1302 11.1%
2016 13.09 1202nd 1294 7.1%
2017 14.52 1162nd 1293 10.1%
2018 14.50 1157th 1293 10.5%
2019 19.00 1130th 1356 16.7%
2021 16.60 1094th 1241 11.8%
2022 18.34 1149th 1369 16.1%
2023 16.00 1205th 1367 11.9%
2024 15.06 1228th 1363 9.9%
See the entire list of Illinois Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.65 234th 285 17.9%
2019 28.07 320th 339 5.6%
2021 36.85 194th 277 30.0%
2022 28.56 402nd 454 11.5%
2023 27.16 429th 480 10.6%
2024 27.14 426th 486 12.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.79 496th 602 17.6%
2019 24.69 700th 792 11.6%
2021 25.59 501st 548 8.6%
2022 26.86 654th 781 16.3%
2023 19.56 757th 805 6.0%
2024 21.25 709th 802 11.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.04 1012th 1161 12.8%
2019 24.51 990th 1217 18.7%
2021 21.37 899th 1019 11.8%
2022 24.00 1013th 1221 17.0%
2023 21.26 1064th 1234 13.8%
2024 18.33 1088th 1219 10.7%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 28.58 59th 70 15.7%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.24 1120th 1226 8.6%
2019 18.67 1060th 1276 16.9%
2021 14.20 933rd 1017 8.3%
2022 18.21 1088th 1286 15.4%
2023 17.03 1096th 1275 14.0%
2024 16.26 1095th 1251 12.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 23.15 619th 674 8.2%
2024 27.81 505th 639 21.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.74 1064th 1223 13.0%
2019 19.90 1063rd 1296 18.0%
2021 17.09 935th 1048 10.8%
2022 19.77 1048th 1286 18.5%
2023 15.74 1155th 1292 10.6%
2024 14.53 1165th 1264 7.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.69 441st 511 13.7%
2019 25.79 475th 565 15.9%
2021 36.44 231st 385 40.0%
2022 31.71 400th 573 30.2%
2023 30.20 417th 569 26.7%
2024 21.21 497th 548 9.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.11 566th 590 4.1%
2019 20.61 562nd 639 12.1%
2021 18.75 479th 517 7.4%
2022 20.06 596th 662 10.0%
2023 17.61 607th 661 8.2%
2024 17.44 583rd 643 9.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 24.01 721st 905 20.3%
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.

Henry W Cowherd Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for Henry W Cowherd Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1993 106 179 6 280 0 n/a n/a 0 571
1994 98 192 7 264 0 n/a n/a 0 561
1995 84 169 12 259 0 n/a n/a 0 524
1996 84 169 12 259 0 n/a n/a 0 524
1997 72 163 5 245 0 n/a n/a 0 485
1998 81 155 6 255 0 n/a n/a 0 497
1999 70 146 4 293 2 n/a n/a 0 515
2000 64 145 4 356 2 n/a n/a 0 571
2001 55 145 6 369 2 n/a n/a 0 577
2002 58 155 6 572 2 n/a n/a 0 793
2003 58 155 6 572 2 n/a n/a 0 793
2004 60 127 6 603 2 n/a n/a 0 798
2005 55 134 6 609 1 n/a n/a 3 808
2006 51 133 4 622 4 n/a n/a 5 819
2007 45 130 6 699 4 n/a n/a 13 897
2008 47 125 3 736 3 n/a n/a 10 924
2009 38 104 6 733 1 n/a n/a 20 902
2010 42 117 4 760 1 n/a n/a 29 953
2011 48 110 8 801 0 0 29 0 996
2012 45 135 13 855 5 0 11 0 1064
2013 39 112 11 896 8 0 17 0 1083
2014 27 118 5 812 3 0 19 0 984
2015 22 109 5 813 4 1 21 0 975
2016 20 121 6 819 4 1 18 0 989
2017 18 99 9 829 4 1 10 0 970
2018 24 93 8 815 3 0 7 0 950
2019 26 92 12 842 5 0 11 0 988
2020 26 80 11 818 5 0 12 0 952
2021 18 88 7 814 3 2 14 0 946
2022 18 109 7 778 0 0 9 0 921
2023 15 112 7 741 1 1 6 0 883

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 Henry W Cowherd Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 571 14.8 38.6 n/a
1994 561 15.3 36.7 n/a
1995 524 19.0 27.6 n/a
1996 524 19.0 27.6 n/a
1997 485 19.3 25.1 n/a
1998 497 20.0 24.9 n/a
1999 515 26.0 19.8 n/a
2000 571 30.9 18.5 n/a
2001 577 30.3 19.0 n/a
2002 793 29.8 26.6 75.2
2003 793 29.8 26.6 75.2
2004 798 35.8 22.3 78.3
2005 808 49.0 16.5 78.5
2006 819 48.0 17.1 73.7
2007 897 70.0 12.8 79.3
2008 924 54.0 17.1 75.9
2009 902 62.1 14.5 97.7
2010 953 71.8 13.2 85.9
2011 996 72.0 13.8 72.5
2012 1064 71.0 14.9 83.1
2013 1083 n/a n/a 90.9
2014 984 67.0 14.6 70.7
2015 975 68.0 14.3 81.7
2016 989 66.0 14.9 63.7
2017 970 69.0 14.0 75.5
2018 950 65.3 14.5 73.3
2019 988 65.5 15.0 69.4
2020 952 61.7 15.4 68.5
2021 946 n/a n/a n/a
2022 921 63.5 14.4 66.7
2023 883 64.4 13.6 72.3

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 Henry W Cowherd Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 571 14.8 38.6 n/a
1994 561 15.3 36.7 n/a
1995 524 19.0 27.6 n/a
1996 524 19.0 27.6 n/a
1997 485 19.3 25.1 n/a
1998 497 20.0 24.9 n/a
1999 515 26.0 19.8 n/a
2000 571 30.9 18.5 n/a
2001 577 30.3 19.0 n/a
2002 793 29.8 26.6 75.2
2003 793 29.8 26.6 75.2
2004 798 35.8 22.3 78.3
2005 808 49.0 16.5 78.5
2006 819 48.0 17.1 73.7
2007 897 70.0 12.8 79.3
2008 924 54.0 17.1 75.9
2009 902 62.1 14.5 97.7
2010 953 71.8 13.2 85.9
2011 996 72.0 13.8 72.5
2012 1064 71.0 14.9 83.1
2013 1083 n/a n/a 90.9
2014 984 67.0 14.6 70.7
2015 975 68.0 14.3 81.7
2016 989 66.0 14.9 63.7
2017 970 69.0 14.0 75.5
2018 950 65.3 14.5 73.3
2019 988 65.5 15.0 69.4
2020 952 61.7 15.4 68.5
2021 946 n/a n/a n/a
2022 921 63.5 14.4 66.7
2023 883 64.4 13.6 72.3

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.

Immunization Rates

Henry W Cowherd Middle School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMeningococcal
201599.8%99.9%99.9%99.9%99.9%99.5%99.9%
201699.8%99.8%99.8%99.8%99.8%98.1%25.4%
201799.9%100.0%100.0%100.0%99.8%98.7%100.0%61.1%
201899.8%99.8%99.8%99.8%99.9%99.0%99.8%97.3%
2019100.0%100.0%99.8%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%97.8%
202199.1%99.4%99.4%99.4%97.7%98.7%99.1%81.2%
202298.7%98.4%98.4%98.4%98.3%98.0%98.5%91.1%
202398.7%98.8%98.8%98.8%99.1%98.3%98.5%94.5%
202499.2%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.3%99.3%98.7%98.0%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Henry W Cowherd Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,668 (13.4%) $10,773 (86.6%) $12,441
2020 $1,782 (13.3%) $11,609 (86.7%) $13,391
2021 $1,614 (12.4%) $11,408 (87.6%) $13,022
2022 $1,614 (12.4%) $11,408 (87.6%) $13,022
2023 $2,939 (16.5%) $14,861 (83.5%) $17,800
2024 $3,179 (16.6%) $16,015 (83.4%) $19,194

Data source: Illinois Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Henry W Cowherd Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1130th of 1356 Middle schoolsRanks 1205th of 1367 Middle schools
 4.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Henry W Cowherd Middle School)10.79.4
 1.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Aurora East Unified School District 131)16.715.4
 1.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Henry W Cowherd Middle School)7.11.9
 5.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Aurora East Unified School District 131)9.74.6
 5.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Henry W Cowherd Middle School)13.815.2
 1.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Aurora East Unified School District 131)16.816.7
 0.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)41.237.9
 3.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Henry W Cowherd Middle School)8.15.2
 2.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Aurora East Unified School District 131)10.46.6
 3.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.926.9
 3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Henry W Cowherd Middle School)19.811.1
 8.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Aurora East Unified School District 131)2220.4
 1.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)39.640.5
 0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Henry W Cowherd Middle School)13.36.2
 7.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Aurora East Unified School District 131)167.1
 8.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)32.625.7
 6.9%
8th Grade Science (Henry W Cowherd Middle School)31.725.7
 6%
   8th Grade Science (Aurora East Unified School District 131)35.233.2
 2%
   8th Grade Science (Illinois)5552
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students988883
 10.6%
African American92112
 21.7%
American Indian51
 80%
Asian127
 41.7%
Hispanic842741
 12%
Pacific Islander01
White2615
 42.3%
Two or More Races116
 45.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients69.4%72.3%
 2.8%


Schools Near Henry W Cowherd Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Henry W Cowherd Middle School

Students who attend Henry W Cowherd Middle School usually go on to attend East High School

Henry W Cowherd Middle School ranks in the bottom 9.9% of Illinois middle schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 883 students attended Henry W Cowherd Middle School.

Students at Henry W Cowherd Middle School are 84% Hispanic, 13% African American, 2% White.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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