New Study Highlights Illinois’ Very Best Middle Schools

Earlier this week, we ran down the best elementary schools in Illinois, according to a new report by U.S. News & World Report. Today, we're continuing Education Week by taking a look at the best middle schools our state has to offer. And once again, Chicago-area schools dominate the rankings!

U.S. News recently released its 2027 rankings of the nation's best public middle schools, evaluating more than 24,000 schools across the country. Researchers examined student achievement in reading and math, accounting for student backgrounds and performance on state assessments.

So, which Illinois schools came out on top?

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Let's Take A Look At Some Of The Numbers

According to U.S. News, here's a look at the Top 10 public middle schools in Illinois:

1. Young Magnet High School: Chicago
2. Decatur Classical Elementary School: Chicago
3. Hawthorne Elementary Scholastic Academy: Chicago
4. Lane Technical High School: Chicago
5. Keller Elementary Gifted Magnet School: Chicago
6. Edison Elementary Regional Gifted Center: Chicago
7. Bradford Junior High School: Bradford
8. Maple School: Northbrook
9. Skinner North Elementary School: Chicago
10. Sunset Ridge Elementary School: Northfield

Yes, you read that correctly. The top six spots all belong to Chicago schools. And before anyone wonders why high schools and elementary schools are appearing on a middle-school list, several of these institutions serve middle-school grades, too.

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There's Some Good News For The Rockford Area, Too

Thurgood Marshall School in Rockford landed at #11 statewide, making it one of the highest-ranked schools outside the Chicago area. Reservoir Gifted School in Peoria also made the top 15, coming in at #14.

Other schools in the top 25 include Kennedy Junior High School in Lisle, Daniel Wright Junior High School in Lincolnshire, and Clarendon Hills Middle School.

It's important to remember that rankings like these are snapshots of academic performance, not a complete measure of everything that makes a school great. Teachers, school culture, extracurricular activities and individual student needs all matter, too.

Still, it's an interesting look at how Illinois schools stack up academically, and a useful starting point for parents researching educational options.

(Full credit to U.S. News & World Report for the rankings and to Patch for its reporting.)