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Meridian Junior High School

Summary:

Meridian Junior High School is a public middle school located in Stillman Valley, Illinois, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 308 students. The school is part of the Meridian CUSD 223 district, which is ranked 326 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Meridian Junior High School has consistently ranked in the top 50% of Illinois middle schools, with strong performance in English Language Arts, where 49.4% of students were proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to 40.4% for the district and 41.2% for the state. However, the school's performance in Mathematics lags behind the district and state, with only 26.4% of students proficient or better. Meridian has shown strong performance for Hispanic students, but weaker performance for White students and students with disabilities. The school has also seen a steady increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 4.1% in 2019-2020 to 15.3% in 2023-2024.

Compared to nearby schools, Meridian Junior High School's academic performance is generally stronger than the Rockford School District 205 schools, such as Thurgood Marshall School, Eisenhower Middle School, and Abraham Lincoln Middle School. However, Meridian lags behind the higher-performing Byron Middle School, which consistently ranks in the top 25% of Illinois middle schools. Meridian also serves a more economically diverse student population, with a lower percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients compared to the nearby Rockford schools.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 207 W Main St
       Stillman Valley, IL  61084-9037

(815) 645-2230

District: Meridian CUSD 223

SchoolDigger Rank:
468th of 1,363 Illinois Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,453 Help


Students who attend Meridian Junior High School usually attend:

High:    Stillman Valley High School

Feeder schools for Meridian Junior High School:

Elementary:    Highland Elementary School
    Monroe Center Grade School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.5 Help
Number of students:  308

Racial breakdown:

White:
83.4%
Hispanic:
12.3%
Two or more races:
3.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  35.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Meridian Junior High School ranks better than 65.7% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.8. (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
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Meridian Junior High School is $15,453.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Meridian Junior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Meridian Junior High School 468th of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Meridian Junior High School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Meridian CUSD 223:

SchoolDigger ranks Meridian CUSD 223 326th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Meridian Junior High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Meridian Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 56.14 585th 1185 50.6%
2004 71.99 357th 1204 70.3%
2005 69.36 418th 1209 65.4%
2006 72.86 346th 1272 72.8%
2007 75.61 278th 1287 78.4%
2008 79.05 220th 1293 83.0%
2009 78.97 233rd 1318 82.3%
2010 73.83 349th 1327 73.7%
2011 73.01 354th 1344 73.7%
2012 74.66 321st 1365 76.5%
2013 63.78 475th 1367 65.3%
2014 61.82 501st 1322 62.1%
2015 61.45 398th 1302 69.4%
2016 62.04 410th 1294 68.3%
2017 50.61 578th 1293 55.3%
2018 63.68 409th 1293 68.4%
2019 64.64 423rd 1356 68.8%
2021 67.45 323rd 1241 74.0%
2022 66.30 373rd 1369 72.8%
2023 53.18 545th 1367 60.1%
2024 58.80 468th 1363 65.7%
See the entire list of Illinois Middle School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 21.40 453rd 454 0.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Meridian Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.58 244th 602 59.5%
2019 36.46 443rd 792 44.1%
2021 53.45 155th 548 71.7%
2022 52.12 215th 781 72.5%
2023 37.05 442nd 805 45.1%
2024 30.81 531st 802 33.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.78 488th 1161 58.0%
2019 48.06 588th 1217 51.7%
2021 75.71 119th 1019 88.3%
2022 67.69 252nd 1221 79.4%
2023 48.06 574th 1234 53.5%
2024 50.83 505th 1219 58.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Meridian Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.60 366th 1226 70.1%
2019 64.04 411th 1276 67.8%
2021 62.48 315th 1017 69.0%
2022 67.74 330th 1286 74.3%
2023 58.21 445th 1275 65.1%
2024 61.19 411th 1251 67.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Meridian Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 49.40 240th 674 64.4%
2024 45.48 268th 639 58.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Meridian Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.22 418th 1223 65.8%
2019 62.38 418th 1296 67.7%
2021 65.75 269th 1048 74.3%
2022 62.25 389th 1286 69.8%
2023 44.65 633rd 1292 51.0%
2024 53.28 502nd 1264 60.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Meridian Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.04 359th 590 39.2%
2019 37.85 395th 639 38.2%
2021 58.18 152nd 517 70.6%
2022 50.81 274th 662 58.6%
2023 63.60 171st 661 74.1%
2024 56.83 220th 643 65.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Meridian Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.32 399th 889 55.1%
2019 52.22 416th 905 54.0%
2021 59.14 290th 813 64.3%
2022 51.13 402nd 898 55.2%
2023 34.77 591st 895 34.0%
2024 40.28 519th 875 40.7%
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.

Meridian 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 Meridian Junior High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 264 n/a 4 n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 268
1990 257 n/a 4 1 n/a n/a n/a 0 262
1991 283 0 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 287
1992 276 0 3 7 0 n/a n/a 0 286
1993 296 0 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 302
1994 327 0 1 4 0 n/a n/a 0 332
1995 298 0 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 301
1996 298 0 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 301
1997 308 0 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 312
1998 332 0 1 3 1 n/a n/a 0 337
1999 348 0 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 352
2000 366 0 3 3 2 n/a n/a 0 374
2001 384 4 2 5 1 n/a n/a 0 396
2002 417 4 3 6 1 n/a n/a 0 431
2003 417 4 3 6 1 n/a n/a 0 431
2004 416 4 2 9 2 n/a n/a 0 433
2005 422 5 1 13 2 n/a n/a 0 443
2006 435 9 3 17 0 n/a n/a 0 464
2007 435 8 2 24 1 n/a n/a 0 470
2008 423 10 4 24 1 n/a n/a 0 462
2009 407 7 2 28 1 n/a n/a 3 448
2010 407 6 1 33 0 n/a n/a 6 453
2011 379 5 0 41 1 0 12 0 438
2012 393 1 2 48 0 0 11 0 455
2013 368 2 3 53 0 0 11 0 437
2014 381 4 4 47 2 0 8 0 446
2015 407 4 4 51 4 1 10 0 481
2016 388 4 3 49 3 1 12 0 460
2017 357 3 4 52 3 1 12 0 432
2018 323 2 3 54 3 0 16 0 401
2019 313 3 2 53 2 1 12 0 386
2020 294 2 1 49 1 0 12 0 359
2021 263 3 0 53 2 0 9 0 330
2022 256 3 0 48 1 0 13 0 321
2023 257 2 0 38 0 0 11 0 308

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 Meridian Junior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 268 19.0 14.1 n/a
1990 262 14.6 17.9 n/a
1991 287 15.0 19.1 n/a
1992 286 15.5 18.4 n/a
1993 302 15.0 20.1 n/a
1994 332 15.5 21.4 n/a
1995 301 17.9 16.8 n/a
1996 301 17.9 16.8 n/a
1997 312 17.9 17.4 n/a
1998 337 16.5 20.4 n/a
1999 352 17.5 20.1 n/a
2000 374 18.5 20.2 n/a
2001 396 18.2 21.8 n/a
2002 431 21.7 19.9 8.1
2003 431 21.7 19.9 8.1
2004 433 21.7 20.0 9.9
2005 443 21.9 20.2 11.3
2006 464 22.4 20.7 14
2007 470 24.0 19.6 13.6
2008 462 21.0 22.0 12.6
2009 448 25.0 17.9 14.2
2010 453 26.0 17.4 22.6
2011 438 26.0 16.8 26.3
2012 455 26.2 17.3 29.5
2013 437 39.4 11.0 29.7
2014 446 25.0 17.8 28.5
2015 481 24.0 20.0 33.9
2016 460 24.0 19.1 24.6
2017 432 25.0 17.2 25
2018 401 23.5 17.0 27.7
2019 386 23.5 16.3 25.4
2020 359 23.5 15.2 27.9
2021 330 n/a n/a n/a
2022 321 24.5 13.1 32.1
2023 308 24.5 12.5 35.1

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 Meridian Junior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 268 19.0 14.1 n/a
1990 262 14.6 17.9 n/a
1991 287 15.0 19.1 n/a
1992 286 15.5 18.4 n/a
1993 302 15.0 20.1 n/a
1994 332 15.5 21.4 n/a
1995 301 17.9 16.8 n/a
1996 301 17.9 16.8 n/a
1997 312 17.9 17.4 n/a
1998 337 16.5 20.4 n/a
1999 352 17.5 20.1 n/a
2000 374 18.5 20.2 n/a
2001 396 18.2 21.8 n/a
2002 431 21.7 19.9 8.1
2003 431 21.7 19.9 8.1
2004 433 21.7 20.0 9.9
2005 443 21.9 20.2 11.3
2006 464 22.4 20.7 14
2007 470 24.0 19.6 13.6
2008 462 21.0 22.0 12.6
2009 448 25.0 17.9 14.2
2010 453 26.0 17.4 22.6
2011 438 26.0 16.8 26.3
2012 455 26.2 17.3 29.5
2013 437 39.4 11.0 29.7
2014 446 25.0 17.8 28.5
2015 481 24.0 20.0 33.9
2016 460 24.0 19.1 24.6
2017 432 25.0 17.2 25
2018 401 23.5 17.0 27.7
2019 386 23.5 16.3 25.4
2020 359 23.5 15.2 27.9
2021 330 n/a n/a n/a
2022 321 24.5 13.1 32.1
2023 308 24.5 12.5 35.1

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

Meridian Junior High School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMeningococcal
201599.2%99.4%99.4%99.4%99.2%99.2%99.0%
201699.4%99.4%99.1%99.4%99.1%99.4%27.2%
201799.5%99.3%99.3%99.3%99.3%99.3%99.5%54.9%
201899.5%99.3%99.3%99.3%99.3%99.3%99.5%99.0%
201999.5%99.2%99.2%99.2%99.5%99.5%99.5%98.7%
2021100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%96.1%
202298.8%97.8%97.8%97.8%97.5%97.8%98.5%95.7%
202398.4%98.4%98.4%98.4%98.4%98.4%98.7%96.1%
202497.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%94.0%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Meridian Junior High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $00 (0.0%) $8,825 (100.0%) $8,825
2020 $00 (0.0%) $10,353 (100.0%) $10,353
2021 $821 (6.8%) $11,189 (93.2%) $12,010
2022 $821 (6.8%) $11,189 (93.2%) $12,010
2023 $1,528 (9.5%) $14,584 (90.5%) $16,112
2024 $439 (2.8%) $15,013 (97.2%) $15,452

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Meridian 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 423rd of 1356 Middle schoolsRanks 545th of 1367 Middle schools
 8.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Meridian Junior High School)44.934.6
 10.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Meridian CUSD 223)44.934.6
 10.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Meridian Junior High School)23.915.1
 8.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Meridian CUSD 223)23.915.1
 8.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Meridian Junior High School)60.644.7
 15.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Meridian CUSD 223)60.644.7
 15.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)41.237.9
 3.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Meridian Junior High School)29.918.1
 11.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Meridian CUSD 223)29.918.1
 11.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.926.9
 3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Meridian Junior High School)36.935.5
 1.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Meridian CUSD 223)36.935.5
 1.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)39.640.5
 0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Meridian Junior High School)29.222.2
 7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Meridian CUSD 223)29.222.2
 7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)32.625.7
 6.9%
8th Grade Science (Meridian Junior High School)63.461.3
 2.1%
   8th Grade Science (Meridian CUSD 223)63.461.3
 2.1%
   8th Grade Science (Illinois)5552
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students386308
 20.2%
African American32
 33.3%
American Indian20
 100%
Asian20
 100%
Hispanic5338
 28.3%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White313257
 17.9%
Two or More Races1211
 8.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients25.4%35.1%
 9.7%

Schools Near Meridian Junior High School








Frequently Asked Questions about Meridian Junior High School

Students who attend Meridian Junior High School usually go on to attend Stillman Valley High School

Students at Meridian Junior High School are 83% White, 12% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

Meridian Junior High School ranks 468th of 1363 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 308 students attended Meridian Junior High School.


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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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