The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in English language arts. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Schrum Memorial School
Schrum Memorial School serves grades six through eight as the middle school for Hoover-Schrum Memorial School District 157 in Calumet City. The school recently moved into a replacement building constructed under a voter-approved referendum. The new facility at 165th Street emphasizes flexible learning, collaboration spaces, STEM integration, and connections to outdoors—a substantial infrastructure upgrade that reflects community investment in the school's future.
The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller Hispanic presence and very small counts of Asian, white, and multiracial students. The school enrolls a small population overall, roughly evenly distributed across the three grade levels.
State assessment data for 2024-25 reveals persistently weak proficiency in mathematics. In grade six, proficiency was in the single digits. Grade seven math proficiency was similarly low at around ten percent. Grade eight math proficiency dropped further to around two percent. English language arts results were stronger relative to math, though still below what most districts aim for. Grade six ELA proficiency was roughly one-third. Grade seven ELA was around one-quarter. Grade eighth-grade proficiency was one-third. In eighth-grade science, proficiency was near one-fifth. Earlier grades were not tested at this school, so no third, fourth, or fifth grade data appear here; the school serves grades six through eight only. Data from earlier grades in the elementary school are not available in this profile.
When positioned against other districts in Cook County, Schrum's overall proficiency index—a mean across tested subjects and grades—places it in the bottom quartile among the county's districts where proficiency can be measured. A parent may want to look further into what instructional changes or support systems the district or school has underway to address these proficiency gaps, particularly in mathematics.
Attendance and chronic absenteeism data were not available for this school.
Calumet City, where the school sits, is a working-class south-Chicago suburb on the Illinois-Indiana border. The community is diverse and historically developed as a residential-industrial suburb of the Gary-Chicago metropolitan area. Most residents drive for errands, though the Sibley Boulevard corridor offers some walkable commercial activity. Major employers include the River Oaks shopping center (a major regional retail hub), health care, transportation and warehousing, and light manufacturing. The South Shore Line provides commuter rail access to Chicago and northwest Indiana. Population in the city has been flat to declining in recent years, though redevelopment of River Oaks as a mixed-use complex with housing, retail, restaurants, and parks is underway, which may affect the neighborhood's trajectory.
Housing values in the zip code are below the Illinois and national benchmarks. Rental costs have risen modestly. The affordability metrics suggest that mortgages and rents are moderate relative to regional context, though that depends on household income.
The district recently approved a Strategic Planning process in 2025 to set shared vision and priorities going forward, informed by input from parents, staff, students, and community. The timeline and nature of any resulting initiatives are not yet public.
See more original research from School Decision →