The top reported proficiency rate is 25% in Social studies. The lowest is 6% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Henry W Eggers Middle School
Henry W Eggers Middle School serves seventh and eighth graders in Hammond, Indiana, as part of the School City of Hammond district. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. The school sits in a Rust Belt city that borders Chicago directly and has long been shaped by industry, rail yards, and expressway corridors. The city’s population has declined steadily over recent decades, though its economy is more diversified than some neighboring communities, with light manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and logistics among the major employers.
The student body at Eggers is majority Hispanic and Black, with smaller shares of white students and students of two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the district’s high-poverty context. The school’s enrollment is moderate for a middle school, drawing from neighborhoods throughout Hammond.
State test results from the most recent year show a very low proficiency rate in math and a low proficiency rate in English language arts. On the statewide ILEARN assessment, the proportion of students scoring at or above the proficient level was well below the midpoint among Lake County schools. Math performance was especially weak. These are significant soft spots, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what supports are in place and how the school approaches instruction in core subjects. Social studies assessment data is from a prior year and uses an older test, so it offers no current picture.
There is no state testing data for high school subjects, which is expected for a school that serves only grades 7 and 8. The school does not have a graduation rate for the same reason. Information on programs such as advanced coursework, career pathways, or extracurricular offerings was not available in the data we have. Similarly, data on discipline, staffing, attendance, and chronic absenteeism were not provided, so it is not possible to assess those areas from this account. The district, School City of Hammond, did not surface any recent parent-relevant changes or initiatives in publicly reported materials.
Hammond itself is an auto-oriented city with a traditional downtown along Hohman Avenue and a number of historic residential districts. Home values are modest compared to the national average, and rents reflect that relative affordability. The city has several large employers, including a hospital, the school district, a casino, and a variety of manufacturers. The South Shore Line commuter rail provides direct access to Chicago, with stations in the city. Wolf Lake parkland and the Horseshoe Hammond casino are notable recreational and entertainment anchors. Population decline has been ongoing, but redevelopment projects, such as a planned sports complex on a former school site, indicate some reinvestment.
For a family considering this school, the central takeaway is that academic proficiency, particularly in math, is low by both absolute and regional measures. The school serves a student population that faces considerable economic disadvantage, a factor that often correlates with test performance but does not by itself define the quality of instruction or support. The absence of program and staffing data makes it difficult to gauge what enrichment or remediation options exist. Eggers is a neighborhood middle school in a district that has seen little recent public change, and for a parent who values test outcomes, the reported results merit close scrutiny and direct conversation with the school about its academic approach.
See more original research from School Decision →