The top reported proficiency rate is 74% in English language arts. The lowest is 52% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on East Dubuque Jr High
East Dubuque Jr High is a small middle school serving seventh and eighth grade in a quiet residential river city in northwestern Illinois, just across from Dubuque, Iowa. The school enrolls a modest population of about fifty to eighty students per grade, with the student body overwhelmingly white and drawn from owner-occupied neighborhoods on the bluffs above the Mississippi River.
On state testing, the school shows uneven performance. In seventh-grade English and language arts, proficiency is above average relative to other districts in Jo Daviess County. Eighth-grade ELA is notably stronger still. Math tells a different story: seventh graders perform solidly, but eighth-grade math proficiency drops considerably. Eighth-grade science performance falls in the middle range for the county. Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint among Jo Daviess County districts. State testing data for grades below seventh and for some elementary subjects were not available; the school serves only grades seven and eight, so no results exist for earlier years. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand whether eighth-grade math struggles reflect curriculum or transition issues, and what support exists for students who are not proficient.
The school sits on a campus separate from downtown East Dubuque, located at Parklane Drive in a mixed small-city and rural residential setting. East Dubuque itself is a population-stable small city known historically for a riverfront "Strip" of nightlife, but the bulk of residential life occurs in quiet neighborhoods climbing the bluffs. The community is actively trying to add housing through recent annexations and mixed-use development to attract entry-level and downsizer homes. The region's dominant employer is the East Dubuque nitrogen fertilizer plant; many residents commute across the bridge into the larger Dubuque labor market, where John Deere is the major regional employer. Housing values in the area are moderate and below state and national benchmarks.
State assessment results data for free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, English learner status, disability status, chronic absenteeism, and graduation rates were not available, which is typical for a middle school in this data system. District-level recent referenda or curriculum changes did not surface in searches. The school's enrollment is small, and its peer composition is largely white and from owner-occupied households. Families considering East Dubuque Jr High should understand that it is a compact, community-embedded school with mixed academic results and that math support or remediation may be worth exploring with the school directly.
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