Summary:
ZIP code 60102 has two middle schools serving grades 6–8: Heineman Middle School and Algonquin Middle School. In 2025–2026, both scored above state averages in ELA, math, and eighth-grade science; the clearest overall finding is that Heineman led Algonquin in all three subjects.
Heineman had the stronger results, with 74% in ELA, 53% in math, and 70% in eighth-grade science, compared with 69%, 44%, and 54% at Algonquin. The gaps were 5 percentage points in ELA, 9 in math, and 16 in science, making science the biggest difference. Still, both schools exceeded state results; Algonquin’s science score was just 2 points above the state. Chronic absenteeism was also below the state’s 24% at both schools: 12% at Heineman and 15% at Algonquin.
Scores rose at both schools from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, with Algonquin making the larger gains in ELA (10 percentage points versus 4 at Heineman) and math (6 versus 4). Science scores increased at both, but the state gained more, narrowing the schools’ average advantage over the state from 13 points to 10. SchoolDigger statewide percentile rankings fell over the same period despite the score increases: Heineman went from the 84th percentile to the 78th, and Algonquin from the 69th to the 64th. Other differences may matter to families, too: the 2024–2025 student–teacher ratios were 13.1 at Heineman and 8.8 at Algonquin; free/reduced lunch eligible students were 21% and 57%, respectively. These are contextual differences, not explanations for the test results.
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