The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 20% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Shepherd Middle School
Shepherd Middle School serves grades seven and eight in Ottawa, Illinois, a small river city in LaSalle County. The school has an enrollment of roughly that size for a mid-sized middle school, split almost evenly between seventh and eighth graders.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, multiracial, Asian, and Black students. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and special populations like English learners or students with IEPs was not available, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about the socioeconomic profile and support services.
State assessment results for seventh and eighth grade show mixed performance. In English language arts, eighth graders outperform seventh graders considerably, with about half of eighth graders scoring at proficiency level on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, compared to about four in ten seventh graders. Both grades achieved very high participation rates. In mathematics, proficiency drops sharply: seventh-grade math proficiency is about one in four, and eighth-grade proficiency falls to about one in seven. Science results for eighth grade sit around half. Across all tested grades and subjects, Shepherd's overall proficiency average places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in LaSalle County. State testing data was not available for grades three through six, which the school does not serve.
The performance pattern suggests that students struggle most with mathematics as they progress through middle school, while reading comprehension holds up better. A parent may want to look into this further with the school: what math support or intervention exists, and whether the school has identified root causes or is piloting changes in how math is taught or sequenced.
Shepherd sits at 701 East McKinley Road in Ottawa, a historic 19th-century Illinois River town known for riverfront parks, a walkable downtown with independent shops and galleries, and proximity to Starved Rock Country. The area is anchored by health care and education employment; OSF HealthCare operates the region's main hospital and is planning a new facility. Housing in the LaSalle County market is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks. The town has sustained public civic spaces including Washington Square Park and the Riverwalk, though no fixed-route municipal transit system was found.
No recent major changes to the district were identified that would shift the school's operations or philosophy. Program offerings and staffing details were not available in the provided data. For specifics on course options, student clubs, athletic offerings, or other enrichment, a parent should visit the school's website or contact the school directly.
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