Washington Middle School, Johnston City IL

Original Research by School Decision on Washington Middle School

Washington Middle School serves grades five through eight in Johnston City, a small southern Illinois city in Williamson County. The school enrolls students from the surrounding area who proceed from two elementary feeder schools. The enrollment is about that size typical for its grade band and region, with a student body that is predominantly white, with smaller representation of Hispanic and multiracial students.

The school administers state assessments in English language arts, math, and science. In English language arts, results show a split profile across the grades. Grade five and grade eight students post proficiency rates that fall around the middle range, while grades six and seven show notably lower performance. Math proficiency is consistently low across all grades served, with rates in the low range at each grade level from five through eight. Science proficiency, where tested in grades five and eight, shows results comparable to the low end of the school's math performance. Testing participation is strong, with near-complete participation across the grades in which assessments are administered.

When positioned against other districts in Williamson County, Washington Middle School's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. The comparison reflects that the school faces academic challenges relative to its county neighbors. A parent may want to look into further details with the school about targeted support in math, given the consistently lower results in that subject across grades.

The school's civil rights and outcomes data, including free-and-reduced-price lunch eligibility, chronic absenteeism, English learner enrollment, and special education enrollment counts, were not available in the records provided. Staffing, course offerings, and information on programs or extracurricular options were also not included in the data supplied.

Johnston City itself is a quiet, economically modest community with a long decline from its coal-mining era peak. The town center retains historic character but has limited current commercial life. The dominant civic anchor is Arrowhead Lake, which draws regional recreation visitors. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care, retail, and manufacturing, with most jobs located in the surrounding Williamson County corridor rather than within Johnston City itself. The district recently opted out of the state's updated sex education curriculum, so families should expect that classroom content will not align with the new National Sex Education Standards adopted elsewhere in the state. Housing values in the Johnston City area are below both state and national benchmarks, making it an affordable market for homebuyers and renters seeking lower costs of living.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 19%

▼ 10 pts below state median

Grade 612%

School 12% · District 12%

▼ 12 pts below state median

Grade 718%

School 18% · District 18%

▼ 10 pts below state median

Grade 817%

School 17% · District 17%

▼ 6 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 46%

▼ 6 pts below state median

Grade 635%

School 35% · District 35%

▼ 15 pts below state median

Grade 724%

School 24% · District 24%

▼ 27 pts below state median

Grade 845%

School 45% · District 45%

▼ 9 pts below state median

Science

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 34%

▼ 2 pts below state median

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 36%

▼ 4 pts below state median

This schoolJohnston City CUSD 1, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.