The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in Science. The lowest is 13% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Clinton Rosette Middle School
Clinton Rosette Middle School serves students in grades six through eight in DeKalb, a mid-sized university city northwest of Chicago with a preserved downtown, a large Northern Illinois University campus, and growing data-center and logistics activity. The school enrolls a diverse student body, with Hispanic and Black students each representing substantial shares, followed by White students and smaller proportions of students identifying as two or more races or Asian. The school's enrollment sits at just under 600 students across the three grade levels, with roughly equal cohort sizes each year.
The school's academic performance in 2024-25 Illinois state assessments shows proficiency levels well below state and regional benchmarks. In math, proficiency rates on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) ranged from the low teens across grades six, seven, and eight. English language arts proficiency was somewhat higher in eighth grade but still in the low to mid-range for the other grades tested. Science proficiency in eighth grade, measured by the Illinois Science Assessment, was roughly a quarter of students meeting the proficiency standard. Across tested subjects and grades, Clinton Rosette's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile when compared to other schools in DeKalb County. Test participation rates were strong, typically around 95 percent, suggesting the low results reflect attainment rather than a measurement artifact. A parent may want to look into how the school is responding to these results and what support systems are in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level expectations.
The school does not appear in the data to have reported federal free-or-reduced-price lunch counts, and special-education enrollment rates, English learner counts, chronic absenteeism, and discipline records were not available. Graduation rates do not apply to a middle school. This absence of data on poverty, language learners, and attendance patterns makes it harder to understand the school's context without direct inquiry.
Clinton Rosette is operating within a district navigating cost pressures. A county-wide school facility sales tax that would have funded debt reduction and property-tax relief failed at the ballot in November 2024, and the board did not pursue a second vote. The district approved a 2025 property-tax levy that is expected to increase typical homeowners' school tax bills, driven by health-insurance costs and the loss of state transportation reimbursement. Under the district's "Vision For28" plan, the school is introducing a self-contained instructional model for fifth graders with two core-subject teachers, alongside other building-wide changes that will affect grade configurations and attendance zones. These shifts reflect a district in transition managing both fiscal and pedagogical change.
The housing market in DeKalb's zip code shows median home values in the mid-to-upper range and median rents somewhat below national benchmarks, with both appreciating in recent years. The area unemployment rate is moderate, and median household income is solid, making it an economically accessible mid-sized town with university and industrial anchors. The city itself is experiencing active growth, particularly on the south side near I-88 driven by Meta's data-center expansion and logistics facilities, though the historic downtown and NIU corridor remain the civic core.
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