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Percy Julian Middle School

Public Grades 6-8
200th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 1,126 Illinois Middle Schools
Better than 82% of Illinois middle schools
Summary

Percy Julian Middle School serves 927 students in grades 6–8 in Oak Park, Illinois, as part of Oak Park Education Service District 97. Its clearest strength is English Language Arts: 81% of students were proficient in 2025–2026, compared with 56% statewide and 76% in the district, placing Julian second among six nearby schools serving the same grade span.

Julian’s math results are also strong locally, but trail the district. In 2025–2026, 57% were proficient in math—second among those six nearby schools and well above their 31% average—but the district reached 62%. Eighth-grade math is a particular concern: proficiency was 46%, down from 68% in grade 6, and 9 points below the district, though still 11 points above the state. Grade-8 science presents a mixed picture: 60% proficiency was 8 points above the state but 8 points below the district; Julian ranked fifth among nine nearby schools reporting results. ELA is more consistent by grade, ranging from 77% to 86%.

Results have improved over time: ELA proficiency rose from 51% in 2023–2024 to 81% in 2025–2026, while math climbed from 37% to 57%. Julian’s math advantage over the state widened, but it remains below district performance. SchoolDigger ranks the school 200th of 1,126 Illinois schools, at the 82nd percentile with four stars. Contextual measures include an 11.8 student-teacher ratio and 18% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch in 2024–2025, the lowest rate among nearby schools with the same measure and year; Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School was next at 21%. SchoolDigger’s statewide effectiveness rankings also show lower relative standing for some groups: the school was at the 33rd percentile for Multi-racial Students in 2025–2026, versus 82nd overall, and at the 43rd percentile for Disabled Students, down from 84th the prior year.

927
Students ?
11.8
Student/teacher ratio ?
$21,564
Per pupil spending ?
18.0%
Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?
97.9%
Measles protection (all grades) (2025-26)
 416 S Ridgeland Ave
       Oak Park, IL  60302-4010

(708) 524-3040

District: Oak Park Education Service District 97


Students who attend Percy Julian Middle School usually attend:

High:    Oak Park & River Forest High School

Feeder schools for Percy Julian Middle School:

Elementary:    Horace Mann Elementary School
    Irving Elementary School
    Longfellow Elementary School
    William Beye Elementary School
Racial breakdown:

White:
54.6%
Hispanic:
14.9%
African American:
14.6%
more
 See top rated Illinois middle schools

 Compare Percy Julian Middle School to nearby middle schools!
At a glance
▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 82nd percentile in 2016 → 82nd in 2026
Strengths
✓Test scores above the Illinois average (66% vs 49% meeting standards)
✓Ranks in the top 18% of Illinois middle schools
✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher
Worth a look
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school66%
District avg69%
Illinois avg49%
200th of 1,126
Illinois public middle schools ?
Top 18%▬ steady since 2016
See the entire ranking list of Illinois Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
2nd of 2Middle Schools in the Oak Park Education Service District 97
121st of 738Oak Park Education Service District 97 among Illinois districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202678.3200 of 112682.2%★★★★☆
202580.1249 of 136881.8%★★★★☆
202469.5351 of 136374.2%★★★★☆
202372.8300 of 136778.1%★★★★☆
202275.7270 of 136980.3%★★★★☆
202188.3104 of 124191.6%★★★★★
201971.7328 of 135675.8%★★★★☆
201864.0404 of 129368.8%★★★☆☆
201773.4285 of 129378.0%★★★★☆
201679.0227 of 129482.5%★★★★☆
201590.8100 of 130292.3%★★★★★
201481.9199 of 132284.9%★★★★☆
201380.0232 of 136783.0%★★★★☆
201273.8340 of 136575.1%★★★★☆
201171.6390 of 134471.0%★★★★☆
201075.3309 of 132776.7%★★★★☆
200978.5243 of 131881.6%★★★★☆
200876.7271 of 129379.0%★★★★☆
200774.1312 of 128775.8%★★★★☆
200673.0343 of 127273.0%★★★★☆
200575.4310 of 120974.4%★★★★☆
200480.9213 of 120482.3%★★★★☆
200378.2249 of 118579.0%★★★★☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202656.484 of 22462.5%★★★☆☆
202563.0153 of 57473.3%★★★★☆
202441.6286 of 54847.8%★★☆☆☆
202354.8180 of 56968.4%★★★☆☆
202259.0149 of 57374.0%★★★★☆
202152.1121 of 38568.6%★★★☆☆
201950.2219 of 56561.2%★★★☆☆
201837.7309 of 51139.5%★★☆☆☆

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202679.819 of 15487.7%★★★★☆
202323.1164 of 19214.6%★☆☆☆☆
201935.3140 of 20130.3%★★☆☆☆
201831.0161 of 20923.0%★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202643.923 of 4042.5%★★☆☆☆
202569.3114 of 69483.6%★★★★☆
202475.074 of 63988.4%★★★★☆
202370.499 of 67485.3%★★★★☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202428.6400 of 48617.7%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202668.5228 of 86773.7%★★★★☆
202575.2269 of 124878.4%★★★★☆
202469.5321 of 125174.3%★★★★☆
202372.9273 of 127578.6%★★★★☆
202275.4256 of 128680.1%★★★★☆
202187.585 of 101791.6%★★★★★
201971.6314 of 127675.4%★★★★☆
201862.5409 of 122666.6%★★★☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202668.2120 of 48375.2%★★★★☆
202563.4199 of 66970.3%★★★★☆
202447.4286 of 64355.5%★★★☆☆
202354.1240 of 66163.7%★★★☆☆
202261.3183 of 66272.4%★★★★☆
202180.353 of 51789.7%★★★★☆
201961.0191 of 63970.1%★★★★☆
201848.4267 of 59054.7%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202645.9418 of 78847.0%★★☆☆☆
202544.7659 of 122946.4%★★☆☆☆
202434.5795 of 121934.8%★★☆☆☆
202329.3908 of 123426.4%★☆☆☆☆
202227.6926 of 122124.2%★☆☆☆☆
202141.4561 of 101944.9%★★☆☆☆
201930.8893 of 121726.6%★☆☆☆☆
201825.7933 of 116119.6%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202675.0167 of 82979.9%★★★★☆
202580.8202 of 127184.1%★★★★☆
202466.2344 of 126472.8%★★★★☆
202370.0306 of 129276.3%★★★★☆
202274.3257 of 128680.0%★★★★☆
202183.3125 of 104888.1%★★★★☆
201969.9321 of 129675.2%★★★★☆
201863.6369 of 122369.8%★★★★☆

Multi-racial

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202645.761 of 9133.0%★★☆☆☆
202566.478 of 20461.8%★★★☆☆
202466.558 of 18468.5%★★★☆☆
202365.362 of 19468.0%★★★☆☆
202272.551 of 19573.8%★★★★☆
202186.912 of 9787.6%★★★★☆
201971.155 of 17969.3%★★★☆☆
201861.160 of 16463.4%★★★☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202663.576 of 24468.9%★★★☆☆
202586.788 of 81289.2%★★★★☆
202474.1153 of 80280.9%★★★★☆
202374.6134 of 80583.4%★★★★☆
202270.995 of 78187.8%★★★★☆
202176.157 of 54889.6%★★★★☆
201962.3164 of 79279.3%★★★★☆
201879.359 of 60290.2%★★★★★

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankIllinois percentileRating
202679.0114 of 75484.9%★★★★☆
202578.0162 of 88481.7%★★★★☆
202468.1236 of 87573.0%★★★★☆
202371.9201 of 89577.5%★★★★☆
202273.6179 of 89880.1%★★★★☆
202186.278 of 81390.4%★★★★★
201970.6227 of 90574.9%★★★★☆
201863.7289 of 88967.5%★★★☆☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Asian (2026)88th percentile+5 vs school
White (2026)85th percentile+3 vs school
Male (2026)80th percentile~ school
Hispanic (2026)75th percentile-7 vs school
Female (2026)74th percentile-9 vs school
Special Education (2026)69th percentile-13 vs school
African American (2026)62nd percentile-20 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)47th percentile-35 vs school
Disabled (2026)42nd percentile-40 vs school
Multi-racial (2026)33rd percentile-49 vs school
English Language Learner (2024)18th percentile-57 vs school
By subject vs Illinois (2025-2026) ?
English Language Arts81%+25 vs state
Science60%+8 vs state
Mathematics57%+17 vs state

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Frequently Asked Questions about Percy Julian Middle School

Students at Percy Julian Middle School are 55% White, 15% Hispanic, 15% African American, 12% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% Not Specified.

Percy Julian Middle School ranks 200th of 1126 Illinois middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2024-25 school year, 927 students attended Percy Julian Middle School.

Students who attend Percy Julian Middle School usually go on to attend Oak Park & River Forest High School

Rate Percy Julian Middle School!



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Latest Illinois data All new data »
2025–26 school spending dataNewOct 30, 2026
2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 30, 2026
2025–26 ACT, IAR, ISA & PreACT Secure test scoresNewOct 30, 2026
2013–14 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026


SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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