Summary:
The two middle schools in zip code 60041 both serve grades 5–8, and their 2025–26 results show a split picture compared with Illinois: the schools’ equal-weighted average was 59% in English language arts (ELA), about 3 percentage points above the state, but 31% in mathematics, about 9 points below. The clearest area-wide finding is that ELA results are stronger than math results, and both schools remain below the state in all-grades mathematics.
Big Hollow Middle School stands out overall: it had 65% proficiency in ELA and 33% in math, compared with 53% and 29% at Gavin South Middle School. Big Hollow’s ELA lead was 13 points; both schools were below the state in math, by 7 points at Big Hollow and 11 at Gavin South. The pattern varies by grade: Big Hollow led ELA in grades 5, 6 and 8, while Gavin South led in grade 7 by 9 points. Big Hollow also led grade 8 science, 72% to 57%, and grade 5 science, 50% to 33%. Gavin South was slightly ahead in grade 8 math.
Both schools’ all-grades ELA and math proficiency improved from 2024–25 to 2025–26: ELA rose by 4 points at Big Hollow and 3 at Gavin South, while math rose by 3 and 4 points, respectively. Gavin South also made a 16-point gain in grade 5 science, though its 33% result remained 15 points below the state. SchoolDigger’s 2025–26 statewide rankings were higher for Big Hollow—56th percentile and 3 stars, versus Gavin South at the 43rd percentile and 2 stars—even as both schools’ ranking percentiles declined from the prior year. As context, in 2024–25 Big Hollow had a 13.7 student-teacher ratio and 33% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible; Gavin South’s ratio was 12.7 and 58% were free/reduced lunch eligible.
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