The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in English language arts. The lowest is 17% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Washington Jr High School
Washington Jr High School serves grades seven and eight in Rock Island, a mid-sized Mississippi River city anchored by Augustana College, Rock Island Arsenal, and long-tenured financial companies downtown. The school enrolls roughly equal shares of seventh and eighth graders, with the student body reflecting the city's racial and ethnic makeup: a plurality white, with substantial Black and Hispanic populations, a smaller Asian community, and a very small number of Indigenous students. No data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility or English learner status was available, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about the economic and linguistic diversity of the student population.
The school's state assessment results show a split picture by grade and subject. In English language arts, seventh and eighth graders performed at roughly similar rates, with a meaningful share reaching proficiency. Reading comprehension and writing appear to be a relative strength compared to math. Mathematics is the clear area of concern: seventh grade shows modest proficiency with students more than eight graders showing even lower performance. Science proficiency, tested only in eighth grade, falls between the ELA and math results. Across all tested grades and subjects, the school's proficiency index sits above the midpoint when compared against other districts in Rock Island County, suggesting the school is not an outlier in the county, though proficiency rates overall remain low. Test participation was strong across subjects and grades, indicating students took the assessments.
This is a school experiencing significant district-level changes. Rock Island-Milan SD 41 recently adopted science-of-reading aligned curricula districtwide, with Expeditionary Learning driving instruction through eighth grade, alongside a districtwide "Reading Revolution" initiative that emphasizes daily, structured reading time. That curriculum work is reflected in the school's ELA performance and represents a substantive shift in how literacy is taught. At the same time, the district is pursuing a Facilities Management Plan that openly evaluates school consolidation due to aging buildings and enrollment pressures. Washington, along with Jefferson and Earl Hanson schools, faces planned changes to parking and drop-off systems, plus security and ADA upgrades. Over the next several years, families should expect possible boundary shifts and school closures as the district right-sizes its footprint, so this is not a stable enrollment picture.
The school sits in a city that is losing population gradually rather than growing, with housing values and rents below state and national benchmarks, making the area more affordable than many alternatives but reflecting slower economic dynamism. Downtown Rock Island has a historic commercial core and the riverfront, while Augustana's wooded campus and the emerging College Hill District represent neighborhood anchors beyond downtown. Transit is available via MetroLINK, and the school district, college, and library partner on fare-free or reduced rides for students.
For a family considering Washington, the essential questions are how the school will be shaped by the curriculum changes already underway in reading and whether the potential consolidation or boundary shifts over the next few years align with your long-term housing plans. The math proficiency numbers warrant a conversation with the school about intervention strategies and support for struggling learners, and asking about the school's approach to students not yet proficient in reading under the new curriculum. The ELA results suggest the reading initiative is having an effect, but a parent may want to look further into how the school is supporting students across the math pipeline.
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