The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in English language arts. The lowest is 39% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Holmes Jr High School
Holmes Jr High School is a grades-6-through-8 school in Mount Prospect, Illinois, serving just over four hundred students in the Comm Cons SD 59 district. The school sits in a northwest Chicago suburb with good transit access via Metra and a mix of residential neighborhoods, shopping corridors, and commercial activity. The area has a notably diverse population, with substantial Hispanic and white shares alongside smaller Asian, Black, and other communities.
The school's latest test results show academic performance that parents should examine carefully. In math, sixth grade performed near the midline statewide, while seventh grade results were below that point, and eighth grade performance dropped to roughly a quarter of students proficient. English language arts tracked similarly: sixth grade slightly above the midline, seventh grade below it, and eighth grade around two in five students proficient. Science testing at eighth grade showed proficiency for roughly two in five students. These patterns suggest that students encounter steeper challenges as they progress through the school, particularly in math, where the decline is most pronounced. The state testing data was not available for older grades or earlier years, so it is not possible to assess whether this is a persistent trend or specific to this cohort.
Across tested subjects and grades, Holmes's overall proficiency sits below the midpoint when compared to other districts in Cook County, positioning it as a school where parents may want to look closely at curriculum, support structures, and how the school addresses students performing below grade level.
The student body reflects the local demographic makeup. Students are roughly evenly split between Hispanic and white, with solid representation from Asian students and smaller shares of Black, multiracial, and Native American students. Free-or-reduced-price-lunch data was not provided, so it is unclear what share of students qualify for income-based meal assistance. Special education enrollment and English learner enrollment figures are not available; parents interested in these programs should contact the school directly.
The district itself has been in transition. In 2023, the school board rejected a superintendent-led plan to reorganize elementary schools into grade-level centers and redistrict attendance areas, opting instead to preserve the traditional neighborhood school model and the Ridge Family Center for Learning school-of-choice program. That same year, a new school board slate took office, and in 2024, additional board appointments shifted control further. The superintendent's contract was not renewed in 2025, and the board launched a search for new leadership. This turnover signals substantive disagreement about district direction, which parents should keep in mind when evaluating stability and vision. Additionally, starting in the 2024-25 school year, the district required all junior high students to store cellphones in lockers during the school day, a classroom management approach that reflects the board's current priorities.
Holmes is situated in a housing market where home values have appreciated moderately over the past year. Rental costs are stable with a slight decline, and the area remains affordable relative to the national median, though housing is not inexpensive. The neighborhood supports a walkable downtown around the Mount Prospect Metra station and contains substantial auto-oriented retail, making it a typical northwest-suburban setting with moderate transit options.
For families considering Holmes, the key questions are the trajectory of student achievement as grade level increases, what academic supports or interventions exist for students not yet proficient, and how the school's instructional approach aligns with their child's learning style. Parents should also factor the recent district leadership transition and shifting board priorities into longer-term school climate expectations.
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