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Pontiac Junior High School

Summary:

Pontiac Junior High School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in Pontiac, Illinois, with 340 students. The school faces significant challenges, consistently performing below state averages in standardized test scores for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics.

In the 2023-2024 school year, only 30.8% of Pontiac Junior High School students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 41.2%, and just 7.9% were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 28.4%. The school also has a high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 19.4% to 30.8% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, 52.94% of Pontiac Junior High School students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Lexington Junior High School, EPG Middle School, and Prairie Central Junior High School, Pontiac Junior High School generally underperforms. For example, Lexington Junior High School had 60.2% of students proficient or better in ELA and 30.6% proficient or better in Mathematics, significantly higher than Pontiac's results. Despite spending more per student ($15,750 in 2022-2023) than the nearby schools, Pontiac Junior High School's academic performance has been consistently low over the past several years, suggesting the need for a more comprehensive approach to improving educational outcomes for its students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 600 N Morrow St
       Pontiac, IL  61764-1451

(815) 842-4343

District: Pontiac CCSD 429

SchoolDigger Rank:
965th of 1,363 Illinois Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,163 Help


Students who attend Pontiac Junior High School usually attend:

High:    Pontiac High School

Feeder schools for Pontiac Junior High School:

Elementary:    Central Elementary School
    Lincoln Elementary School
    Washington Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.3 Help
Number of students:  340

Racial breakdown:

White:
72.1%
Hispanic:
17.9%
Two or more races:
5.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  52.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Pontiac Junior High School ranks worse than 70.8% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.58. (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 Pontiac Junior High School is $16,163.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pontiac Junior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Pontiac Junior High School 965th of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Pontiac 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:


Pontiac CCSD 429:

SchoolDigger ranks Pontiac CCSD 429 707th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Pontiac Junior High School?

Rank History for Pontiac Junior High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Pontiac Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 54.20 614th 1185 48.2%
2004 55.56 623rd 1204 48.3%
2005 50.60 710th 1209 41.3%
2006 45.69 806th 1272 36.6%
2007 46.94 810th 1287 37.1%
2008 70.49 406th 1293 68.6%
2009 72.25 369th 1318 72.0%
2010 76.18 289th 1327 78.2%
2011 67.55 486th 1344 63.8%
2012 69.73 419th 1365 69.3%
2013 60.34 543rd 1367 60.3%
2014 39.33 830th 1322 37.2%
2015 33.30 843rd 1302 35.3%
2016 44.70 659th 1294 49.1%
2017 35.39 814th 1293 37.0%
2018 41.21 724th 1293 44.0%
2019 31.82 911th 1356 32.8%
2021 21.43 998th 1241 19.6%
2022 18.95 1128th 1369 17.6%
2023 23.34 1039th 1367 24.0%
2024 26.58 965th 1363 29.2%
See the entire list of Illinois Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Pontiac Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.82 350th 602 41.9%
2019 33.98 481st 792 39.3%
2021 25.59 501st 548 8.6%
2022 33.67 510th 781 34.7%
2023 23.07 694th 805 13.8%
2024 23.62 672nd 802 16.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.03 714th 1161 38.5%
2019 31.23 884th 1217 27.4%
2021 24.54 839th 1019 17.7%
2022 26.50 947th 1221 22.4%
2023 25.07 986th 1234 20.1%
2024 22.11 1025th 1219 15.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pontiac Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.22 768th 1226 37.4%
2019 27.97 939th 1276 26.4%
2021 17.36 892nd 1017 12.3%
2022 20.06 1059th 1286 17.7%
2023 24.46 956th 1275 25.0%
2024 27.49 889th 1251 28.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Pontiac Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 29.21 497th 674 26.3%
2024 27.18 508th 639 20.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pontiac Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.93 616th 1223 49.6%
2019 36.15 782nd 1296 39.7%
2021 22.92 844th 1048 19.5%
2022 18.99 1073rd 1286 16.6%
2023 22.54 1011th 1292 21.7%
2024 25.88 908th 1264 28.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pontiac Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 16.32 599th 639 6.3%
2021 30.55 387th 517 25.1%
2022 21.78 572nd 662 13.6%
2023 25.07 532nd 661 19.5%
2024 18.54 569th 643 11.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Pontiac Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.98 729th 889 18.0%
2019 14.25 824th 905 9.0%
2021 11.06 777th 813 4.4%
2022 8.10 875th 898 2.6%
2023 11.21 849th 895 5.1%
2024 14.34 788th 875 9.9%
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.

Pontiac 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 Pontiac Junior High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 258 3 n/a 10 n/a n/a n/a 0 271
1990 248 6 n/a 12 n/a n/a n/a 0 266
1991 258 9 0 11 0 n/a n/a 0 278
1992 229 6 0 10 0 n/a n/a 0 245
1993 271 5 0 16 0 n/a n/a 0 292
1994 431 6 2 16 2 n/a n/a 0 457
1995 443 9 3 14 0 n/a n/a 0 469
1996 443 9 3 14 0 n/a n/a 0 469
1997 424 11 1 12 0 n/a n/a 0 448
1998 406 10 2 12 0 n/a n/a 0 430
1999 426 8 6 13 0 n/a n/a 0 453
2000 409 13 3 16 0 n/a n/a 0 441
2001 452 15 4 10 0 n/a n/a 0 481
2002 417 18 3 22 0 n/a n/a 0 460
2003 417 18 3 22 0 n/a n/a 0 460
2004 408 26 6 26 0 n/a n/a 0 466
2005 392 14 5 18 2 n/a n/a 30 461
2006 381 13 4 14 1 n/a n/a 31 444
2007 362 15 4 15 1 n/a n/a 30 427
2008 365 12 5 13 0 n/a n/a 28 423
2009 338 9 3 20 0 n/a n/a 23 393
2010 343 8 3 17 0 n/a n/a 26 397
2011 341 6 4 33 2 0 14 0 400
2012 343 10 2 35 3 0 12 0 405
2013 346 12 2 43 3 0 10 0 416
2014 320 16 1 33 3 0 15 0 388
2015 301 16 1 38 4 0 21 0 381
2016 290 12 1 28 0 0 19 0 350
2017 313 15 2 28 0 0 20 0 378
2018 310 12 3 24 0 0 18 0 367
2019 316 11 5 38 0 0 31 0 401
2020 292 14 4 44 1 0 30 0 385
2021 288 21 3 50 1 0 22 0 385
2022 252 16 0 58 1 0 20 0 347
2023 245 15 1 61 0 0 17 1 340

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 Pontiac Junior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 271 19.0 14.2 n/a
1990 266 19.0 14.0 n/a
1991 278 19.6 14.1 n/a
1992 245 14.0 17.5 n/a
1993 292 17.0 17.2 n/a
1994 457 25.0 18.3 n/a
1995 469 27.0 17.4 n/a
1996 469 27.0 17.4 n/a
1997 448 27.0 16.6 n/a
1998 430 31.7 13.6 n/a
1999 453 32.7 13.9 n/a
2000 441 31.7 13.9 n/a
2001 481 31.7 15.2 n/a
2002 460 34.7 13.3 40.7
2003 460 34.7 13.3 40.7
2004 466 32.7 14.3 45.1
2005 461 33.7 13.7 48.5
2006 444 28.7 15.5 44.6
2007 427 23.0 18.6 46.1
2008 423 21.0 20.1 44.8
2009 393 29.0 13.6 39.7
2010 397 28.0 14.1 43.1
2011 400 23.0 17.3 43
2012 405 24.0 16.8 48.9
2013 416 23.0 18.0 51
2014 388 n/a n/a 49
2015 381 26.0 14.6 56.4
2016 350 30.0 11.6 45.7
2017 378 29.0 13.0 51.3
2018 367 28.7 12.7 49
2019 401 30.5 13.1 43.9
2020 385 28.5 13.5 46
2021 385 n/a n/a n/a
2022 347 27.2 12.7 51.6
2023 340 29.9 11.3 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 Pontiac Junior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 271 19.0 14.2 n/a
1990 266 19.0 14.0 n/a
1991 278 19.6 14.1 n/a
1992 245 14.0 17.5 n/a
1993 292 17.0 17.2 n/a
1994 457 25.0 18.3 n/a
1995 469 27.0 17.4 n/a
1996 469 27.0 17.4 n/a
1997 448 27.0 16.6 n/a
1998 430 31.7 13.6 n/a
1999 453 32.7 13.9 n/a
2000 441 31.7 13.9 n/a
2001 481 31.7 15.2 n/a
2002 460 34.7 13.3 40.7
2003 460 34.7 13.3 40.7
2004 466 32.7 14.3 45.1
2005 461 33.7 13.7 48.5
2006 444 28.7 15.5 44.6
2007 427 23.0 18.6 46.1
2008 423 21.0 20.1 44.8
2009 393 29.0 13.6 39.7
2010 397 28.0 14.1 43.1
2011 400 23.0 17.3 43
2012 405 24.0 16.8 48.9
2013 416 23.0 18.0 51
2014 388 n/a n/a 49
2015 381 26.0 14.6 56.4
2016 350 30.0 11.6 45.7
2017 378 29.0 13.0 51.3
2018 367 28.7 12.7 49
2019 401 30.5 13.1 43.9
2020 385 28.5 13.5 46
2021 385 n/a n/a n/a
2022 347 27.2 12.7 51.6
2023 340 29.9 11.3 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.

Immunization Rates

Pontiac Junior High School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMeningococcal
2015100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%
2016100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%31.7%
2017100.0%99.7%99.7%99.7%100.0%98.1%100.0%63.8%
201899.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%98.4%
201999.8%99.5%99.5%99.5%99.8%99.5%99.8%97.8%
2021100.0%99.5%99.5%99.5%100.0%98.9%100.0%96.3%
202298.8%98.8%98.8%98.8%67.8%98.8%98.8%97.6%
202399.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%97.9%
202499.4%99.4%99.4%99.4%99.1%99.4%99.4%96.6%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Pontiac Junior High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $362 (3.3%) $10,628 (96.7%) $10,990
2020 $492 (4.3%) $10,914 (95.7%) $11,406
2021 $1,487 (11.7%) $11,217 (88.3%) $12,703
2022 $1,487 (11.7%) $11,217 (88.3%) $12,703
2023 $744 (4.7%) $15,005 (95.3%) $15,750
2024 $649 (4.0%) $15,513 (96.0%) $16,163

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Pontiac 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 911th of 1356 Middle schoolsRanks 1039th of 1367 Middle schools
 8.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pontiac Junior High School)20.917.3
 3.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pontiac CCSD 429)20.917.3
 3.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Pontiac Junior High School)11.25.4
 5.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Pontiac CCSD 429)11.25.4
 5.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pontiac Junior High School)39.212
 27.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pontiac CCSD 429)39.212
 27.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)41.237.9
 3.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Pontiac Junior High School)19.28.3
 10.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Pontiac CCSD 429)19.28.3
 10.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.926.9
 3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pontiac Junior High School)15.819.6
 3.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pontiac CCSD 429)15.819.6
 3.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)39.640.5
 0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Pontiac Junior High School)15.710.7
 5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Pontiac CCSD 429)15.710.7
 5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)32.625.7
 6.9%
8th Grade Science (Pontiac Junior High School)39.438.9
 0.5%
   8th Grade Science (Pontiac CCSD 429)39.438.9
 0.5%
   8th Grade Science (Illinois)5552
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students401340
 15.2%
African American1115
 36.4%
American Indian00
Asian51
 80%
Hispanic3861
 60.5%
Pacific Islander00
White316245
 22.5%
Two or More Races3117
 45.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients43.9%52.9%
 9.1%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Pontiac Junior High School

Students at Pontiac Junior High School are 72% White, 18% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% African American.

Pontiac Junior High School ranks 965th of 1363 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Students who attend Pontiac Junior High School usually go on to attend Pontiac High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 340 students attended Pontiac 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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