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Hester Junior High School

Summary:

Hester Junior High School is a public middle school located in Franklin Park, Illinois, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 446 students. The school is part of the Franklin Park School District 84, which is ranked 300 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Hester Junior High School consistently outperforms the state average in English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency, with 53.6% of students proficient or better in 2023-2024 compared to the state average of 41.2%. However, the school's mathematics performance is below the state average, with only 22.9% of students proficient or better in 2023-2024 compared to the state average of 28.4%. The school's performance in science, as measured by the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA), is above the state average, with 44.7% of students proficient or better in 2023-2024 compared to the state average of 53.2%. Hester's Hispanic and White student groups perform relatively well compared to their statewide counterparts, ranking in the top 30-40% of Illinois middle schools, but the school's English Language Learner (ELL) and Special Education student groups struggle, ranking in the bottom 30-40% of Illinois middle schools. The school's Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) student group is a bright spot, ranking in the top 25-30% of Illinois middle schools in recent years.

Hester Junior High School has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 7.7% in 2019-2020 to 40.3% in 2020-2021, before declining to 16.6% in 2023-2024. The school's per-student spending has increased from $11,848 in 2019-2020 to $15,239 in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average. Hester Junior High School generally outperforms nearby schools like Irving Middle School in academic performance, particularly in ELA and science, but its mathematics performance is more in line with or slightly below nearby schools.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 2836 Gustav St
       Franklin Park, IL  60131-2905

(847) 455-2150

District: Franklin Park School District 84

SchoolDigger Rank:
473rd of 1,363 Illinois Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,765 Help


Students who attend Hester Junior High School usually attend:

High:    East Leyden High School

Feeder schools for Hester Junior High School:

Elementary:    Dan H Pietrini Elementary School
    North Elementary School
    Passow Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.5 Help
Number of students:  446

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
72.9%
White:
22.4%
Asian:
2.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  61.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Hester Junior High School ranks better than 65.3% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.28. (See more...)
Help
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
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hester Junior High School is $16,765.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Hester Junior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Hester Junior High School 473rd of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Hester Junior High 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:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Franklin Park School District 84:

SchoolDigger ranks Franklin Park School District 84 300th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Hester Junior High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Hester Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 50.62 666th 1185 43.8%
2004 58.90 578th 1204 52.0%
2005 63.14 531st 1209 56.1%
2006 53.54 692nd 1272 45.6%
2007 41.59 869th 1287 32.5%
2008 48.56 784th 1293 39.4%
2009 51.42 754th 1318 42.8%
2010 60.08 611th 1327 54.0%
2011 56.47 682nd 1344 49.3%
2012 64.14 538th 1365 60.6%
2013 54.87 623rd 1367 54.4%
2014 60.35 525th 1322 60.3%
2015 33.97 824th 1302 36.7%
2016 60.29 435th 1294 66.4%
2017 65.04 386th 1293 70.1%
2018 70.49 320th 1293 75.3%
2019 60.24 481st 1356 64.5%
2021 59.24 397th 1241 68.0%
2022 52.94 537th 1369 60.8%
2023 59.28 450th 1367 67.1%
2024 58.28 473rd 1363 65.3%
See the entire list of Illinois Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Hester Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.68 101st 285 64.6%
2019 49.38 113th 339 66.7%
2021 36.26 200th 277 27.8%
2022 28.44 403rd 454 11.2%
2023 38.07 283rd 480 41.0%
2024 31.42 368th 486 24.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Hester Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.09 188th 602 68.8%
2019 34.52 472nd 792 40.4%
2021 43.37 243rd 548 55.7%
2022 38.24 418th 781 46.5%
2023 39.29 410th 805 49.1%
2024 32.75 498th 802 37.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hester Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.64 108th 1161 90.7%
2019 72.10 222nd 1217 81.8%
2021 73.37 138th 1019 86.5%
2022 62.91 322nd 1221 73.6%
2023 62.90 329th 1234 73.3%
2024 67.75 269th 1219 77.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Hester Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.87 338th 1226 72.4%
2019 53.78 535th 1276 58.1%
2021 62.52 314th 1017 69.1%
2022 58.83 422nd 1286 67.2%
2023 62.98 385th 1275 69.8%
2024 55.13 479th 1251 61.7%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Hester Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 38.73 365th 674 45.8%
2024 32.14 438th 639 31.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Hester Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.13 281st 1223 77.0%
2019 64.51 385th 1296 70.3%
2021 48.58 455th 1048 56.6%
2022 44.76 620th 1286 51.8%
2023 52.73 524th 1292 59.4%
2024 59.38 424th 1264 66.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Hester Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.68 104th 590 82.4%
2019 61.61 184th 639 71.2%
2021 65.93 106th 517 79.5%
2022 52.96 248th 662 62.5%
2023 58.07 203rd 661 69.3%
2024 60.33 196th 643 69.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Hester Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.56 234th 889 73.7%
2019 50.18 440th 905 51.4%
2021 58.18 300th 813 63.1%
2022 50.00 415th 898 53.8%
2023 68.44 231st 895 74.2%
2024 54.87 373rd 875 57.4%
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.

Hester Junior High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for Hester Junior High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 219 2 4 30 2 n/a n/a 0 257
1989 227 2 6 34 n/a n/a n/a 0 269
1990 247 1 9 43 2 n/a n/a 0 302
1991 245 1 3 63 4 n/a n/a 0 316
1992 242 0 3 77 0 n/a n/a 0 322
1993 254 0 8 62 0 n/a n/a 0 324
1994 255 1 4 88 0 n/a n/a 0 348
1995 243 3 4 117 0 n/a n/a 0 367
1996 243 3 4 117 0 n/a n/a 0 367
1997 260 1 6 127 0 n/a n/a 0 394
1998 271 2 4 151 2 n/a n/a 0 430
1999 268 2 4 168 0 n/a n/a 0 442
2000 269 1 7 173 0 n/a n/a 0 450
2001 243 5 9 173 0 n/a n/a 0 430
2002 219 7 9 209 4 n/a n/a 0 448
2003 219 7 9 209 4 n/a n/a 0 448
2004 218 4 8 232 1 n/a n/a 0 463
2005 188 10 10 201 0 n/a n/a 0 409
2006 197 4 11 208 0 n/a n/a 10 430
2007 189 5 8 222 0 n/a n/a 12 436
2008 176 2 11 225 0 n/a n/a 8 422
2009 164 5 6 236 0 n/a n/a 11 422
2010 171 3 8 228 0 n/a n/a 14 424
2011 158 2 7 266 0 0 12 0 445
2012 148 2 9 265 0 0 12 0 436
2013 146 3 6 274 1 0 10 0 440
2014 136 3 2 267 1 7 7 0 423
2015 132 4 4 276 0 5 3 0 424
2016 114 3 7 280 1 2 4 0 411
2017 114 0 7 285 0 2 5 0 413
2018 123 1 9 283 0 2 6 0 424
2019 130 2 8 316 0 2 5 0 463
2020 150 1 7 313 0 2 4 0 477
2021 144 3 7 304 0 2 1 0 461
2022 125 5 9 315 0 1 1 0 456
2023 100 5 13 325 0 0 3 0 446

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 Hester Junior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 257 22.0 11.6 n/a
1989 269 22.0 12.2 n/a
1990 302 22.0 13.7 n/a
1991 316 25.0 12.6 n/a
1992 322 26.0 12.3 n/a
1993 324 26.0 12.5 n/a
1994 348 26.0 13.4 n/a
1995 367 26.0 14.1 n/a
1996 367 26.0 14.1 n/a
1997 394 26.0 15.2 n/a
1998 430 27.0 15.9 n/a
1999 442 28.0 15.8 n/a
2000 450 29.0 15.5 n/a
2001 430 31.0 13.9 n/a
2002 448 31.5 14.2 17.9
2003 448 31.5 14.2 17.9
2004 463 30.5 15.2 21.6
2005 409 28.0 14.6 23.2
2006 430 30.0 14.3 21.9
2007 436 33.0 13.2 25.2
2008 422 28.0 15.1 30.2
2009 422 32.0 13.2 30.7
2010 424 32.0 13.2 41.2
2011 445 31.0 14.3 43.6
2012 436 33.0 13.2 41.7
2013 440 39.6 11.0 55.7
2014 423 33.0 12.8 65.5
2015 424 33.0 12.8 66.7
2016 411 31.0 13.2 68.1
2017 413 31.2 13.2 70.9
2018 424 30.5 13.9 74.5
2019 463 31.0 14.9 61.8
2020 477 31.6 15.0 57.9
2021 461 n/a n/a n/a
2022 456 30.5 14.9 55.7
2023 446 33.0 13.5 61.7

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 Hester Junior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 257 22.0 11.6 n/a
1989 269 22.0 12.2 n/a
1990 302 22.0 13.7 n/a
1991 316 25.0 12.6 n/a
1992 322 26.0 12.3 n/a
1993 324 26.0 12.5 n/a
1994 348 26.0 13.4 n/a
1995 367 26.0 14.1 n/a
1996 367 26.0 14.1 n/a
1997 394 26.0 15.2 n/a
1998 430 27.0 15.9 n/a
1999 442 28.0 15.8 n/a
2000 450 29.0 15.5 n/a
2001 430 31.0 13.9 n/a
2002 448 31.5 14.2 17.9
2003 448 31.5 14.2 17.9
2004 463 30.5 15.2 21.6
2005 409 28.0 14.6 23.2
2006 430 30.0 14.3 21.9
2007 436 33.0 13.2 25.2
2008 422 28.0 15.1 30.2
2009 422 32.0 13.2 30.7
2010 424 32.0 13.2 41.2
2011 445 31.0 14.3 43.6
2012 436 33.0 13.2 41.7
2013 440 39.6 11.0 55.7
2014 423 33.0 12.8 65.5
2015 424 33.0 12.8 66.7
2016 411 31.0 13.2 68.1
2017 413 31.2 13.2 70.9
2018 424 30.5 13.9 74.5
2019 463 31.0 14.9 61.8
2020 477 31.6 15.0 57.9
2021 461 n/a n/a n/a
2022 456 30.5 14.9 55.7
2023 446 33.0 13.5 61.7

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

Hester Junior High School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMeningococcal
201599.1%99.1%99.1%99.1%99.1%99.1%99.5%
201699.8%99.8%99.8%99.8%99.8%99.3%29.4%
201797.9%97.9%97.9%97.9%97.9%97.6%97.9%62.3%
201899.5%99.8%99.8%99.8%99.8%99.5%99.8%98.0%
201999.4%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.4%99.1%99.8%98.7%
202199.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%100.0%89.1%
202299.8%100.0%100.0%100.0%99.8%99.8%100.0%99.3%
202397.1%96.8%96.6%96.8%97.1%96.8%97.1%96.2%
202496.7%96.7%96.7%96.7%96.7%96.7%96.7%96.7%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Hester Junior High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $315 (2.6%) $11,984 (97.4%) $12,299
2020 $151 (1.3%) $11,697 (98.7%) $11,848
2021 $247 (2.0%) $12,040 (98.0%) $12,287
2022 $247 (2.0%) $12,040 (98.0%) $12,287
2023 $558 (3.7%) $14,680 (96.3%) $15,239
2024 $700 (4.2%) $16,065 (95.8%) $16,764

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Hester Junior High 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 481st of 1356 Middle schoolsRanks 450th of 1367 Middle schools
 2.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Hester Junior High School)43.948.6
 4.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Franklin Park School District 84)43.948.6
 4.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Hester Junior High School)21.718.9
 2.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Franklin Park School District 84)21.718.9
 2.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Hester Junior High School)43.544.1
 0.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Franklin Park School District 84)43.544.1
 0.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)41.237.9
 3.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Hester Junior High School)31.822.7
 9.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Franklin Park School District 84)31.822.7
 9.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.926.9
 3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Hester Junior High School)3946.1
 7.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Franklin Park School District 84)3946.1
 7.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)39.640.5
 0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Hester Junior High School)32.522.1
 10.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Franklin Park School District 84)32.522.1
 10.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)32.625.7
 6.9%
8th Grade Science (Hester Junior High School)55.251.9
 3.3%
   8th Grade Science (Franklin Park School District 84)55.251.9
 3.3%
   8th Grade Science (Illinois)5552
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students463446
 3.7%
African American25
 150%
American Indian00
Asian813
 62.5%
Hispanic316325
 2.8%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White130100
 23.1%
Two or More Races53
 40%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients61.8%61.7%
 0.1%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Hester Junior High School

Students who attend Hester Junior High School usually go on to attend East Leyden High School

Hester Junior High School ranks 473rd of 1363 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 446 students attended Hester Junior High School.

Students at Hester Junior High School are 73% Hispanic, 22% White, 3% Asian, 1% African American.


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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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