Serena Middle School

Q: Is Serena Middle School a good school?

Serena Middle School ranks 659 th of 1363 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Serena Middle School is a public middle school located in Serena, Illinois, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 186 students. The school is part of the Serena CUSD 2 district, which is ranked 517 out of 813 districts in Illinois and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Academically, Serena Middle School's performance on state assessments is generally below the state average, with only 39.2% of students proficient or better in ELA and 19% in Math across all grades. However, the school's 5th and 6th-grade ELA performance is stronger, while the 7th and 8th-grade ELA performance is significantly lower than the state. Interestingly, the school's science performance, as measured by the ISA, is relatively stronger, with 62.4% of students proficient or better, compared to the state average of 53.2%. The school has also experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 4.8% in 2019-2020 to 22.3% in 2021-2022, which is higher than the state average.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Shabbona Middle School, Sandwich Middle School, and Millbrook Junior High School, Serena Middle School's academic performance is generally lower, with lower proficiency rates in both ELA and Math. However, the school's per-student spending has increased from $14,072 in 2019-2020 to $18,557 in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average, and its student-teacher ratio of 11.3 in 2022-2023 is lower than the nearby schools, suggesting a relatively smaller class size. Additionally, Serena Middle School has a significant percentage of students (41.4% in 2022-2023) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which may contribute to the school's academic challenges and the need for targeted interventions and support.

Detail:

Public 5-8

2283 N 3812th Rd
Serena, IL 60549-5103

(815) 496-9250

District: Serena CUSD 2

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,623

Student/teacher ratio: 11.3

Number of students: 186

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.0%

Hispanic:

8.1%

Two or more races:

4.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 41.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Serena Middle School ranks better than 51.7% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.83. (See more...)

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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Serena Middle School is $17,623.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Serena Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Serena Middle School 659^th of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Serena Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Serena CUSD 2:

SchoolDigger ranks Serena CUSD 2 517^th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Serena Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Serena Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	30.32	936^th	1356	31.0%
2021	55.09	453^rd	1241	63.5%
2022	53.79	528^th	1369	61.4%
2023	45.38	681^st	1367	50.2%
2024	45.83	659^th	1363	51.7%

See the entire list of Illinois Middle School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	19.41	1068^th	1217	12.2%
2021	59.15	284^th	1019	72.1%
2022	49.38	526^th	1221	56.9%
2023	48.61	564^th	1234	54.3%
2024	46.95	573^rd	1219	53.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Serena Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	32.11	877^th	1276	31.3%
2021	56.96	365^th	1017	64.1%
2022	57.98	430^th	1286	66.6%
2023	55.15	475^th	1275	62.7%
2024	51.63	530^th	1251	57.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Serena Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	29.42	891^st	1296	31.3%
2021	41.87	535^th	1048	49.0%
2022	48.65	564^th	1286	56.1%
2023	38.10	743^rd	1292	42.5%
2024	39.08	694^th	1264	45.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Serena Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	15.53	812^th	905	10.3%
2021	40.29	460^th	813	43.4%
2022	37.82	542^nd	898	39.6%
2023	25.75	710^th	895	20.7%
2024	28.92	638^th	875	27.1%

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 Serena Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2018	161	5	20	0	3	189
2019	166	4	13	1	5	189
2020	158	4	10	2	5	179
2021	144	3	9	2	7	165
2022	166	2	19	2	10	199
2023	160	0	15	2	9	186

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 Serena Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	189	15.1	12.4	41.8
2019	189	16.5	11.4	36.5
2020	179	15.8	11.3	38
2021	165	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	199	16.7	11.8	34.7
2023	186	16.4	11.3	41.4

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 Serena Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	189	15.1	12.4	41.8
2019	189	16.5	11.4	36.5
2020	179	15.8	11.3	38
2021	165	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	199	16.7	11.8	34.7
2023	186	16.4	11.3	41.4

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

Serena Middle School

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Year	Polio	Measles	Mumps	Rubella	Hepatitis B	Varicella	DTP	Meningococcal
2018	99.5%	98.5%	98.5%	98.5%	76.3%	97.4%	99.5%	72.7%
2019	97.4%	96.9%	96.9%	96.9%	76.9%	96.4%	98.0%	75.9%
2021	98.8%	98.2%	98.2%	98.2%	99.4%	98.8%	98.8%	69.1%
2022	99.0%	99.0%	99.0%	99.0%	99.5%	99.5%	98.5%	67.2%
2023	98.9%	98.9%	98.9%	98.9%	99.5%	99.5%	98.4%	79.0%
2024	99.5%	99.5%	99.5%	99.5%	99.5%	99.5%	99.5%	71.4%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Serena Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$712 (5.6%)	$12,000 (94.4%)	$12,713
2020	$396 (2.8%)	$13,675 (97.2%)	$14,072
2021	$934 (6.0%)	$14,600 (94.0%)	$15,534
2022	$934 (6.0%)	$14,600 (94.0%)	$15,534
2023	$2,586 (13.9%)	$15,970 (86.1%)	$18,556
2024	$1,258 (7.1%)	$16,365 (92.9%)	$17,623

Data source: Illinois Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Serena 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 936^th of 1356 Middle schools	Ranks 681^st of 1367 Middle schools	19.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Serena Middle School)	22.7	40	17.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Serena CUSD 2)	22.7	40	17.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)	37.9	35.2	2.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Serena Middle School)	29.6	30	0.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Serena CUSD 2)	29.6	30	0.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)	29.8	25.6	4.2%
5th Grade Science (Serena Middle School)	63.6	61.3	2.3%
5th Grade Science (Serena CUSD 2)	63.6	61.3	2.3%
5th Grade Science (Illinois)	54.4	52.4	2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Serena Middle School)	18.6	36.9	18.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Serena CUSD 2)	18.6	36.9	18.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)	35	34.2	0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Serena Middle School)	20.9	12.5	8.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Serena CUSD 2)	20.9	12.5	8.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)	25.3	23.4	1.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Serena Middle School)	20.8	21.8	1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Serena CUSD 2)	20.8	21.8	1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)	41.2	37.9	3.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Serena Middle School)	11.5	30.4	18.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Serena CUSD 2)	11.5	30.4	18.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)	29.9	26.9	3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Serena Middle School)	16	30.7	14.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Serena CUSD 2)	16	30.7	14.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)	39.6	40.5	0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Serena Middle School)	12	15.4	3.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Serena CUSD 2)	12	15.4	3.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)	32.6	25.7	6.9%
8th Grade Science (Serena Middle School)	52	51.9	0.1%
8th Grade Science (Serena CUSD 2)	52	51.9	0.1%
8th Grade Science (Illinois)	55	52	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	189	186	1.6%
African American	4	0	100%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	13	15	15.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	166	160	3.6%
Two or More Races	5	9	80%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36.5%	41.4%	4.9%

Schools Near Serena Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISA Science (2024)	IAR English Language Arts (2024)						IAR Mathematics (2024)						% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% DTP (2024)	% Meningococcal (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISA Science All Grades	IAR English Language Arts 4th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 5th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 6th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts All Grades	IAR Mathematics 4th Grade	IAR Mathematics 5th Grade	IAR Mathematics 6th Grade	IAR Mathematics 7th Grade	IAR Mathematics 8th Grade	IAR Mathematics All Grades	% Polio All Grades	% Measles All Grades	% Mumps All Grades	% Rubella All Grades	% Hepatitis B All Grades	% Varicella All Grades	% DTP All Grades	% Meningococcal All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Serena Middle School	Public	5-8	2283 N 3812th Rd	Serena	60549	LaSalle County	Serena CUSD 2	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(815) 496-9250	186	16	11.3	41.4%	160 (86.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.8%)	45.8	659^th of 1363 public middle schools	51.7%		45.4	681^st of 1367 public middle schools	50.2%	22	62.4		50.0	64.5	25.4	28.5	39.2		10.0	19.4	18.6	28.6	19.0	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	71.4	$17,623	$1,258	$16,365
LaSalle County Detention Center 6-8	Public	6-8	707 Etna Rd	Ottawa	61350	LaSalle County	Wallace CCSD 195	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(815) 434-8300	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Somonauk Middle School	Public	5-8	510 W Lasalle St	Somonauk	60552	DeKalb County	Somonauk CUSD 432	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	(815) 498-1866	233	19	12.3	37.3%	195 (83.7%)	6 (2.6%)	25 (10.7%)	6 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	93.2	81^st of 1363 public middle schools	94.1%		91.1	101^st of 1367 public middle schools	92.6%	20	68.4		48.2	87.1	64.5	82.8	71.0		25.0	56.5	56.5	46.6	46.6	91.2	92.9	92.9	92.9	90.3	91.2	69.3	49.2	$14,341	$443	$13,898
Sandwich Middle School	Public	6-8	600 S Wells St	Sandwich	60548	DeKalb County	Sandwich CUSD 430	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	(815) 786-2138	438	34	13.0	44.3%	318 (72.6%)	5 (1.1%)	94 (21.5%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.9%)	54.1	539^th of 1363 public middle schools	60.5%		56.4	491^st of 1367 public middle schools	64.1%	48	66.4			51.2	42.8	53.5	48.9			27.6	21.7	15.7	21.5	97.5	98.4	98.4	98.4	99.1	98.6	97.9	97.5	$15,968	$1,128	$14,840
Millbrook Junior High School	Public	5-8	8411 Fox River Dr	Newark	60541	Kendall County	Newark CCSD 66	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(630) 553-5435	124	8	16.0	27.4%	95 (76.6%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (15.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	8 (6.5%)	70.4	338^th of 1363 public middle schools	75.2%		64.8	390^th of 1367 public middle schools	71.5%	52	40.4		50.0	79.2	58.6	62.5	62.9		20.0	20.8	34.4	25.0	25.7	93.5	94.4	94.4	94.4	93.5	93.5	93.5	75.9	$11,501	$512	$10,988
Shepherd Middle School	Public	7-8	701 E McKinley Rd	Ottawa	61350	LaSalle County	Ottawa Education Service District 141	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(815) 433-1133	389	32	12.3	52.7%	292 (75.1%)	13 (3.3%)	59 (15.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.2%)	37	793^rd of 1363 public middle schools	41.8%		35	844^th of 1367 public middle schools	38.3%	51	49.2				35.2	42.0	38.7				19.4	9.1	14.1	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	98.2	$18,089	$1,144	$16,945
Central Intermediate School	Public	5-6	711 E McKinley Rd	Ottawa	61350	LaSalle County	Ottawa Education Service District 141	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(815) 433-3761	343	31	11.1	52.5%	246 (71.7%)	14 (4.1%)	58 (16.9%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.1%)								(n/a)	58.2		41.8	49.7			45.6		14.6	22.0			18.2	98.5	97.9	97.9	97.9	98.8	97.2	98.8	48.6	$17,729	$1,300	$16,429
Seneca Elementary School South Campus	Public	5-8	174 Oak St	Seneca	61360	LaSalle County	Seneca CCSD 170	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(815) 357-8744	197	20	10.1	25.9%	176 (89.3%)	3 (1.5%)	11 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	6 (3.0%)	66.8	380^th of 1363 public middle schools	72.1%		58.9	456^th of 1367 public middle schools	66.6%	76	73.0		45.7	55.6	33.4	47.3	45.6		36.9	46.3	33.4	40.7	39.4	99.1	98.6	98.6	98.6	99.1	98.6	99.1	70.6	$20,147	$1,174	$18,974
Plano Middle School	Public	7-8	804 S Hale St	Plano	60545	Kendall County	Plano CUSD 88	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(630) 552-3608	345	30	11.4	62.6%	107 (31.0%)	34 (9.9%)	187 (54.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.6%)	34.5	827^th of 1363 public middle schools	39.3%		36.8	822^nd of 1367 public middle schools	39.9%	5	40.4				26.9	40.4	33.2				16.3	16.7	16.5	99.1	99.1	99.1	99.1	99.1	98.8	99.1	98.8	$17,355	$78	$17,277
Emily G Johns School	Public	4-6	430 S Mitchell Dr	Plano	60545	Kendall County	Plano CUSD 88	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(630) 552-9182	528	32	16.4	59.7%	170 (32.2%)	40 (7.6%)	294 (55.7%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.2%)								(n/a)	45.1	25.5	30.7	45.8			34.5	18.4	10.6	20.9			16.7	98.2	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.2	98.2	98.2	34.9	$14,240	$215	$14,026

Frequently Asked Questions about Serena Middle School

Is Serena Middle School a good school?

Serena Middle School ranks 659^th of 1363 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Serena Middle School?

Students at Serena Middle School are 86% White, 8% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

How many students attend Serena Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 186 students attended Serena Middle School.

What district is Serena Middle School in?

Serena CUSD 2

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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.