The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in English language arts. The lowest is 1% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Meridian High School
Meridian High School serves grades 6 through 12 in Mounds, Illinois, a small, declining city in Pulaski County in far southern Illinois. The school enrolls about 210 students across seven grades, with the largest cohorts in the high school years. The student body is predominantly Black, with a substantial white minority and smaller populations of students identifying as two or more races or Hispanic. Detailed enrollment in free-or-reduced-price lunch programs was not available, nor were counts of students in special education or as English learners.
The academic data available is stark and warrants direct attention. State testing results from Illinois assessments show proficiency rates that are very low across middle and high school grades in both math and English language arts. In middle school math, sixth grade achieved single-digit proficiency, seventh grade reached zero proficiency, and eighth grade also showed zero proficiency. English language arts results follow a similar pattern: sixth grade proficiency was in the low-to-mid teens, seventh grade around 13 percent, and eighth grade around 10 percent. Science proficiency in eighth grade was in the low single digits. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what academic supports, curriculum changes, or resource needs the school is addressing in response to these results. The state testing data for grades 3 through 5 at this school was not reported, likely because those elementary grades are served elsewhere in the district or at separate buildings.
When positioned against other districts in Pulaski County, Meridian High School's overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quartile among the county's districts. A four-year graduation rate and chronic absenteeism rate were not available in the reported data.
Mounds itself is a small, mainly residential city with a long-term population decline. Most residents rent rather than own homes. The local economy centers on material-moving, community and social service, and healthcare support occupations. The Housing Authority of Pulaski County, headquartered in Mounds, is a notable institutional presence. The school is located on a separate campus between Mounds and Mound City east of Interstate 57, rather than within the downtown itself.
No recent district-level changes in curriculum, facilities, or funding were found in available sources, so the context for current academic performance remains unclear from public reporting. A parent seeking enrollment at this school or considering whether it is the right fit for their child should connect directly with school and district leadership to understand the academic supports in place, the factors behind the testing results, and what trajectory the school is pursuing.
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