Prairie Central Jr High School
Forrest, IL · Prairie Central CUSD 8 · Grades 7 - 8
381st of 685 Illinois middle schools statewide · better than 44%▼ Declining
Prairie Central Jr High School ranking
SchoolRow ranks Prairie Central Jr High School 381st of 685 Illinois middle schools for 2024–25, based on Illinois Report Card 2024–25 English and Math results — better than 44% of middle schools statewide. Its statewide percentile went from 73th in 2019 to 44th in 2025 — declining.
Prairie Central Jr High School test scores
Percent meeting or exceeding the state standard, Illinois Report Card 2024–25
Prairie Central Jr High School students
Racial and ethnic breakdown of 232 students (2023–24, NCES) — and how it has shifted since 2013
| Group | Trend | 2013 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.6% | 84.9% | ▼ 4.7 pts | |
| Hispanic | 2.6% | 9.9% | ▲ 7.3 pts | |
| Two or more races | 5.8% | 3.4% | ▼ 2.4 pts | |
| Asian | 0.3% | 1.3% | ▲ 1.0 pts | |
| Black | 1.3% | 0.0% | ▼ 1.3 pts |
Homes near Prairie Central Jr High School
Typical home value $168K in zip 61741 as of 2026-05 · trend since 2000
Data Provided by Zillow Group
Middle schools near Prairie Central Jr High School
Closest same-level schools, with 2024–25 state rank
- 8Prairie Central Upper ElementaryPrairie Central CUSD 8 · 0.4 mi away159th of 685
ELA 70% · Math 50% - 6Tri-Point Jr High/ElementaryTri Point CUSD 6-J · 11.8 mi away306th of 685
ELA 50% · Math 45% - 2Pontiac Jr High SchoolPontiac CCSD 429 · 13.7 mi away572nd of 685
ELA 40% · Math 13% - 2Ridgeview Jr High SchoolRidgeview CUSD 19 · 17 mi away602nd of 685
ELA 28% · Math 19% - 7GCMS Middle SchoolGibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5 · 19.2 mi away222nd of 685
ELA 73% · Math 35% - 9Lexington Jr High SchoolLexington CUSD 7 · 20.7 mi away133rd of 685
ELA 82% · Math 44% - 6Iroquois West Middle SchoolIroquois West CUSD 10 · 21.2 mi away280th of 685
ELA 59% · Math 41% - 7EPG Middle SchoolEl Paso-Gridley CUSD 11 · 24.7 mi away243rd of 685
ELA 62% · Math 43%
Frequently asked questions
What school district is Prairie Central Jr High School in?
Prairie Central Jr High School is part of the Prairie Central CUSD 8 district in Forrest, Illinois.
Is Prairie Central Jr High School a good school?
SchoolRow ranks Prairie Central Jr High School 381st of 685 Illinois middle schools (better than 44% statewide) based on 2024–25 test results (Illinois Report Card 2024–25).
What is the racial makeup of Prairie Central Jr High School?
White 85%, Hispanic 10%, Two or more races 3%, Asian 1% (232 students, 2023–24).
How much do homes near Prairie Central Jr High School cost?
The typical home value in zip code 61741 is $168K as of 2026-05 (Zillow ZHVI).
Sources: state education department data (Illinois Report Card 2024–25, low-income, chronic absenteeism), National Center for Education Statistics via the Urban Institute (enrollment, demographics, staffing), Zillow Group (home values). Rankings are computed by SchoolRow from state English and Math results within grade level; they measure test performance, not everything that makes a school good.