The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 20% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on King Middle Grade School
King Middle Grade School serves third through sixth grade in Kankakee, a mid-sized Illinois city about fifty miles south of Chicago. The school is a regular public elementary and middle grades building with an enrollment spanning about three hundred fifty students across four grade levels. The student body is diverse: just over half identify as Black, roughly a third as Hispanic, with smaller numbers of white, multiracial, and American Indian students. Demographic data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and special populations were not available, which limits a full picture of socioeconomic need and support structures within the building.
Academic performance on Illinois state assessments tells a mixed story that varies sharply by grade and subject. In third grade, students show relative strength: about three-fifths met or exceeded proficiency in math, and four-fifths in English language arts. The picture deteriorates markedly in grades four, five, and six. Fourth-grade math proficiency stands in the very low single digits; fourth-grade ELA is also low, though higher than math. Fifth-grade results follow a similar pattern, with math proficiency under ten percent and ELA in the low twenties. Sixth grade shows marginally better results in ELA but remains in the teens for math. Science testing occurs only in fifth grade, where proficiency hovers just above twenty percent. State testing data for seventh and eighth grade was not available, likely because the school serves only grades three through six despite the grade band label in its directory listing.
The pronounced gap between third and fourth grade warrants attention. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, as such a drop can reflect changes in assessment rigor, differences in how older students are taught, or shifts in student cohort composition. The overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades places this school in the bottom quartile among districts in Kankakee County.
The school does not report graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, or detailed staffing data. No program information beyond core academic instruction was available. Details on curriculum emphasis, enrichment offerings, special education services, English learner supports, or school culture remain outside this data set.
In the broader context, Kankakee School District 111 is pursuing significant change. The district commissioned a full curriculum and instructional practices audit in 2025 and is developing a new strategic plan for 2026 onward, signaling a coming overhaul of classroom practice. At the same time, the district has enacted consecutive property tax levy increases near the state ceiling, a recurring cost factor for families considering or living in the district. School uniforms have ended at the high school, and credit-based progression standards have tightened. These district-level shifts may affect the school's academic direction and environment in the coming years, making a conversation with school leaders about curriculum direction and any pilot or reform initiatives underway a worthwhile step.
Housing in the Kankakee area is relatively affordable compared to national and state benchmarks. Typical home values are modest, and rental costs remain well below state averages. The city's economy centers on healthcare, manufacturing, and education, with a walkable historic downtown and river-corridor parks anchoring civic life. Limited new housing construction since the prior decade leaves modest turnover, though recent development projects signal some renewed interest.
King Middle Grade School offers an established public school setting for students in the early and middle elementary years. Its third-grade results suggest some students enter with solid literacy skills; the subsequent grade-level decline in proficiency raises questions worth exploring directly with staff about curriculum transitions, assessment shifts, and any targeted support or intervention programs in place to address the pattern.
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