Zion Central Middle School, Zion IL

Original Research by School Decision on Zion Central Middle School

Zion Central Middle School serves grades six through eight in Zion, a small city in the Lake County suburbs north of Chicago. The school draws from a diverse student body: a substantial majority are Hispanic, with significant Black and White populations represented as well. The school itself is modest in size for its grade band.

Test results across all subjects and grades are weak. In math, proficiency rates for the grades tested range from very low in eighth grade to single digits in sixth and seventh grade. In English language arts, results improve slightly across the grade span, with sixth grade showing modest proficiency and seventh and eighth grades showing higher rates than math, though still well below typical expectations. Science proficiency in eighth grade is similarly low. Participation rates across all tested areas are strong, with nearly all students taking the assessments. These proficiency metrics place the school in the bottom quartile among the districts in Lake County.

The most recent state assessment data reflects changes to scoring criteria, so trend comparison with prior years is not fully reliable. A parent seeking historical context on academic trajectory would want to ask the school directly about performance trends over time.

Zion itself is a quiet residential community with older housing stock and a young median age. The neighborhood has deep historical roots as a late-nineteenth-century religious utopian settlement founded by John Alexander Dowie, and that legacy shows in the biblical street names throughout Central Zion. The larger local economy is anchored by the cancer hospital on Elisha Avenue (now City of Hope Chicago) and smaller manufacturing and retail sectors. Walkability is uneven: Central Zion around Sheridan Road offers some pedestrian access to parks and shopping, but the city is largely car-dependent. Metra's Union Pacific North Line provides commuter rail to downtown Chicago about forty miles away.

Housing in the zip code is modestly priced relative to state and national medians, and the district has recently received a state property tax relief grant that will lower property taxes for homeowners going forward, a concrete financial benefit for families considering a move into the area. Rental housing is also available and reasonably priced. The housing market in Lake County shows moderate supply and moderate demand, with inventory below year-ago levels but median listing prices up slightly.

The school carries the basic designation of a regular public middle school with no special magnet or charter status. Beyond grade configuration and enrollment size, detailed information on course offerings, staffing, extracurricular programs, and specialized academic or support services was not available. A parent considering this school would benefit from a direct conversation with the building about academic intervention structures, tutoring, and what specific supports exist for students working below proficiency.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 67%

School 7% · District 8% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 78%

School 8% · District 9% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

Grade 85%

School 5% · District 5%

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 614%

School 14% · District 17% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median · ▼ 44 pts below county median

Grade 727%

School 27% · District 23% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 35 pts below county median

Grade 823%

School 23% · District 23%

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

Science

Grade 812%

School 12% · District 9% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 46 pts below county median

This schoolZion ESD 6, 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.