Challand Middle School

Summary:

Challand Middle School is a public middle school located in Sterling, Illinois, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 710 students. The school is part of the Sterling CUSD 5 district, which is ranked 509 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Challand Middle School consistently underperforms compared to the state average in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 32.7% of Challand students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 41.2%. In Mathematics, the proficiency rate was 19.1%, significantly lower than the state's 28.4%. The school also struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 12.8% to 29.6% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state's average. Additionally, Challand Middle School's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with White students and students with disabilities consistently performing poorly, ranking in the bottom quartile of Illinois middle schools.

When comparing Challand Middle School to nearby middle schools, such as Amboy Junior High School, PLT Middle School, Aplington Middle School, Morrison Junior High School, and Reagan Middle School, Challand consistently underperforms in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency. The school's performance has also declined over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 628 out of 1,302 Illinois middle schools in 2014-2015 to 792 out of 1,363 in 2023-2024. Despite the increased spending per student at Challand Middle School, the academic outcomes have not improved, suggesting that the school may need to re-evaluate its resource allocation and focus on evidence-based strategies that have a direct impact on student learning.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1700 6th Ave
       Sterling, IL  61081-1379


(815) 626-3300

District: Sterling CUSD 5

SchoolDigger Rank:
792nd of 1,363 Illinois Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,355 Help


Students who attend Challand Middle School usually attend:

High:    Sterling High School

Feeder schools for Challand Middle School:

Elementary:    Franklin Elementary School
    Jefferson Elementary School
    Lincoln Elementary School
    Washington Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.6 Help
Number of students:  710

Racial breakdown:

White:
55.4%
Hispanic:
36.1%
Two or more races:
5.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  50.1% Help


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 Compare Challand Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Challand Middle School ranks worse than 58.1% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.02. (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.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Challand Middle School is $13,355.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Challand Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Challand Middle School 792nd of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See Challand Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Sterling CUSD 5:

SchoolDigger ranks Sterling CUSD 5 509th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Challand Middle School?

Rank History for Challand Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Challand Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 54.16 615th 1185 48.1%
2004 59.69 568th 1204 52.8%
2005 61.46 557th 1209 53.9%
2006 58.38 609th 1272 52.1%
2007 61.47 580th 1287 54.9%
2008 68.44 448th 1293 65.4%
2009 62.70 557th 1318 57.7%
2010 57.56 662nd 1327 50.1%
2011 56.57 678th 1344 49.6%
2012 61.69 582nd 1365 57.4%
2013 49.65 707th 1367 48.3%
2014 54.80 608th 1322 54.0%
2015 44.61 628th 1302 51.8%
2016 32.74 853rd 1294 34.1%
2017 37.09 786th 1293 39.2%
2018 35.19 809th 1293 37.4%
2019 35.42 839th 1356 38.1%
2021 34.18 744th 1241 40.0%
2022 40.71 740th 1369 45.9%
2023 44.39 701st 1367 48.7%
2024 37.02 792nd 1363 41.9%
See the entire list of Illinois Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Challand Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.60 127th 164 22.6%
2019 14.66 155th 179 13.4%
2021 20.25 80th 97 17.5%
2022 37.27 113th 195 42.1%
2023 32.86 117th 194 39.7%
2024 23.00 134th 184 27.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Challand Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 83.85 3rd 277 98.9%
2022 51.46 133rd 454 70.7%
2023 66.63 62nd 480 87.1%
2024 38.18 294th 486 39.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Challand Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.76 314th 602 47.8%
2019 32.45 514th 792 35.1%
2021 36.69 315th 548 42.5%
2022 30.39 588th 781 24.7%
2023 32.23 519th 805 35.5%
2024 27.35 600th 802 25.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.76 823rd 1161 29.1%
2019 34.36 820th 1217 32.6%
2021 33.65 684th 1019 32.9%
2022 30.51 873rd 1221 28.5%
2023 39.32 728th 1234 41.0%
2024 32.85 824th 1219 32.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Challand Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.90 898th 1226 26.8%
2019 29.70 918th 1276 28.1%
2021 34.76 624th 1017 38.6%
2022 42.00 681st 1286 47.0%
2023 44.56 646th 1275 49.3%
2024 38.72 720th 1251 42.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Challand Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 41.77 327th 674 51.5%
2024 34.70 393rd 639 38.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Challand Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.69 650th 1223 46.9%
2019 41.62 701st 1296 45.9%
2021 28.61 739th 1048 29.5%
2022 38.81 718th 1286 44.2%
2023 43.14 657th 1292 49.1%
2024 34.79 761st 1264 39.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Challand Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.32 477th 590 19.2%
2019 30.57 466th 639 27.1%
2021 30.64 386th 517 25.3%
2022 30.42 474th 662 28.4%
2023 44.17 327th 661 50.5%
2024 36.92 380th 643 40.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Challand Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.59 693rd 889 22.0%
2019 22.52 736th 905 18.7%
2021 27.29 600th 813 26.2%
2022 31.05 633rd 898 29.5%
2023 31.49 631st 895 29.5%
2024 23.89 689th 875 21.3%
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.

Challand Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.7)
33%

0%

0%

33%

33%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, January 28, 2023

Open Quote The teachers are great but school administration, not so much. They encourage students to come to school sick and penalize them if they don't. The student wellbeing is not a top priority. Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Open Quote There are very few teachers that care how well the kids succeed at this school. The school has no resources to help kids that are struggling in their classes, other than the help from the teacher whenever they are available, if they are even willing to help them. The teachers constantly blame the children that don’t understand how to complete the homework or fail a test, by telling them they are not trying. When they clearly don’t understand. Teachers have been mean to children that need extra time to finish a test or come in before or after school for help. When the teachers also state they must not be trying. The teachers say inappropriate things to the children. For example: Complaining about working and not getting time off since they have to make up for snow days. Talking bad about other children in front of students. Making racial comments to the entire class. As to how hard it is to be a specific race.
The majority of the teachers favor the “popular kids” or “rich kids”. Its bad enough to be bullied but the teachers seem to be bullies themselves. I am sad to say I sent my child there. I learned the hard way. No wonder why this school is ranked so low in the state and the nation. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Challand Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 577 11 3 24 n/a n/a n/a 0 615
1989 573 15 2 23 n/a n/a n/a 0 613
1990 584 12 6 22 n/a n/a n/a 0 624
1991 612 8 7 18 0 n/a n/a 0 645
1992 549 16 9 66 1 n/a n/a 0 641
1993 532 14 6 93 0 n/a n/a 0 645
1994 535 15 6 98 2 n/a n/a 0 656
1995 462 18 5 86 3 n/a n/a 0 574
1996 462 18 5 86 3 n/a n/a 0 574
1997 678 24 10 148 5 n/a n/a 0 865
1998 653 25 8 163 5 n/a n/a 0 854
1999 646 30 7 153 6 n/a n/a 0 842
2000 601 29 9 155 5 n/a n/a 0 799
2001 589 40 11 168 4 n/a n/a 0 812
2002 613 41 6 182 0 n/a n/a 0 842
2003 613 41 6 182 0 n/a n/a 0 842
2004 599 37 4 181 0 n/a n/a 0 821
2005 552 15 4 150 0 n/a n/a 54 775
2006 499 16 5 139 0 n/a n/a 52 711
2007 467 23 6 148 0 n/a n/a 54 698
2008 457 23 4 162 2 n/a n/a 64 712
2009 475 27 5 160 1 n/a n/a 79 747
2010 498 25 2 175 3 n/a n/a 91 794
2011 498 27 3 238 2 0 27 0 795
2012 462 28 3 242 1 0 30 0 766
2013 440 28 3 243 1 0 23 0 738
2014 433 27 4 255 5 0 21 0 745
2015 422 33 5 259 5 0 29 0 753
2016 429 26 8 265 1 0 29 0 758
2017 417 23 7 271 2 0 24 0 744
2018 427 15 7 284 2 0 36 0 771
2019 424 13 7 282 2 0 37 0 765
2020 441 19 7 278 3 0 45 0 793
2021 403 16 9 287 2 0 43 0 760
2022 390 13 9 278 2 0 43 0 735
2023 393 12 7 256 0 1 41 0 710

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 Challand Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 615 42.9 14.3 n/a
1989 613 40.0 15.3 n/a
1990 624 38.0 16.4 n/a
1991 645 38.1 16.9 n/a
1992 641 38.0 16.8 n/a
1993 645 37.0 17.4 n/a
1994 656 37.0 17.7 n/a
1995 574 39.0 14.7 n/a
1996 574 39.0 14.7 n/a
1997 865 54.0 16.0 n/a
1998 854 55.0 15.5 n/a
1999 842 55.0 15.3 n/a
2000 799 53.0 15.1 n/a
2001 812 51.0 15.9 n/a
2002 842 61.0 13.8 36.1
2003 842 61.0 13.8 36.1
2004 821 52.0 15.8 39.5
2005 775 45.0 17.2 43.6
2006 711 49.0 14.5 40.2
2007 698 44.0 15.9 40.4
2008 712 42.0 17.0 49.5
2009 747 50.5 14.8 50.7
2010 794 51.0 15.5 55.8
2011 795 52.0 15.2 51.1
2012 766 52.0 14.7 50.4
2013 738 54.3 13.5 56.8
2014 745 44.5 16.7 55.3
2015 753 42.0 17.9 58.8
2016 758 41.0 18.4 53.4
2017 744 39.0 19.0 54.4
2018 771 41.4 18.6 61
2019 765 43.7 17.5 60.8
2020 793 41.0 19.3 56.7
2021 760 n/a n/a n/a
2022 735 42.0 17.4 53.7
2023 710 45.5 15.6 50.1

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 Challand Middle School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 615 42.9 14.3 n/a
1989 613 40.0 15.3 n/a
1990 624 38.0 16.4 n/a
1991 645 38.1 16.9 n/a
1992 641 38.0 16.8 n/a
1993 645 37.0 17.4 n/a
1994 656 37.0 17.7 n/a
1995 574 39.0 14.7 n/a
1996 574 39.0 14.7 n/a
1997 865 54.0 16.0 n/a
1998 854 55.0 15.5 n/a
1999 842 55.0 15.3 n/a
2000 799 53.0 15.1 n/a
2001 812 51.0 15.9 n/a
2002 842 61.0 13.8 36.1
2003 842 61.0 13.8 36.1
2004 821 52.0 15.8 39.5
2005 775 45.0 17.2 43.6
2006 711 49.0 14.5 40.2
2007 698 44.0 15.9 40.4
2008 712 42.0 17.0 49.5
2009 747 50.5 14.8 50.7
2010 794 51.0 15.5 55.8
2011 795 52.0 15.2 51.1
2012 766 52.0 14.7 50.4
2013 738 54.3 13.5 56.8
2014 745 44.5 16.7 55.3
2015 753 42.0 17.9 58.8
2016 758 41.0 18.4 53.4
2017 744 39.0 19.0 54.4
2018 771 41.4 18.6 61
2019 765 43.7 17.5 60.8
2020 793 41.0 19.3 56.7
2021 760 n/a n/a n/a
2022 735 42.0 17.4 53.7
2023 710 45.5 15.6 50.1

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

Challand Middle School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaMeningococcalDTP
201698.4%98.6%98.6%98.6%98.4%98.3%32.1%
201798.5%98.8%98.8%98.8%98.8%98.5%63.6%98.3%
201899.0%98.7%98.7%98.7%98.8%98.7%98.5%99.1%
201998.5%98.6%98.6%98.6%98.5%98.5%98.2%98.0%
202198.5%98.5%98.5%98.5%98.9%98.1%94.0%98.8%
202299.3%99.2%99.2%99.2%99.2%99.0%95.8%99.3%
202399.2%99.2%99.2%99.2%99.0%99.2%96.1%99.2%
202498.8%98.9%98.9%98.9%98.9%98.9%94.6%99.2%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Challand Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $459 (5.1%) $8,508 (94.9%) $8,967
2020 $487 (5.5%) $8,293 (94.5%) $8,780
2021 $222 (2.3%) $9,585 (97.7%) $9,807
2022 $222 (2.3%) $9,585 (97.7%) $9,807
2023 $823 (6.6%) $11,600 (93.4%) $12,423
2024 $1,218 (9.1%) $12,137 (90.9%) $13,355

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Challand 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 839th of 1356 Middle schoolsRanks 701st of 1367 Middle schools
 10.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Challand Middle School)25.218.7
 6.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling CUSD 5)25.218.7
 6.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Challand Middle School)11.711.7
   6th Grade Mathematics (Sterling CUSD 5)11.711.7
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Challand Middle School)32.832.2
 0.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling CUSD 5)32.832.2
 0.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)41.237.9
 3.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Challand Middle School)19.919.2
 0.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Sterling CUSD 5)19.919.2
 0.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.926.9
 3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Challand Middle School)2531.4
 6.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling CUSD 5)2531.4
 6.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)39.640.5
 0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Challand Middle School)20.532.6
 12.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Sterling CUSD 5)20.532.6
 12.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)32.625.7
 6.9%
8th Grade Science (Challand Middle School)42.150.5
 8.4%
   8th Grade Science (Sterling CUSD 5)42.150.5
 8.4%
   8th Grade Science (Illinois)5552
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students765710
 7.2%
African American1312
 7.7%
American Indian20
 100%
Asian77
Hispanic282256
 9.2%
Pacific Islander01
White424393
 7.3%
Two or More Races3741
 10.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients60.8%50.1%
 10.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Challand Middle School

Challand Middle School ranks 792nd of 1363 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Challand Middle School usually go on to attend Sterling High School

Students at Challand Middle School are 55% White, 36% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 2% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 710 students attended Challand Middle 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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