Fox River Grove Middle School, Fox River Grove IL

Original Research by School Decision on Fox River Grove Middle School

Fox River Grove Middle School serves grades five through eight in a small suburb along the Fox River northwest of Chicago. The school sits in a district covering only Fox River Grove, with an enrollment of roughly 185 students across four grades, making it an intimate school where older and younger middle schoolers share the same building.

The student body is predominantly white, with modest diversity; about a third of students identify as Hispanic or multiracial, and a small number as Asian or Black. The school does not report free and reduced lunch data or special population counts, so a parent would need to ask the district directly about socioeconomic composition and the presence of special education or English learner services.

State assessment results from the most recent year show uneven academic performance across grades and subjects. In English language arts, the school shows clear strength at grades five and six, where proficiency sits well above the midpoint. By grade seven proficiency dips but recovers at grade eight. In math, the picture is weaker. Grade five math proficiency is roughly at the midpoint, but grades six and seven show notably lower proficiency, while grade eight rebounds to match grade five. Science was tested only in grades five and eight; grade five science proficiency is at the lower end, while grade eight science proficiency is solid. Across all tested grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency sits below the midpoint when compared against other schools and districts in McHenry County.

The district has made a deliberate curricular commitment to Project Lead The Way (PLTW) STEM programs, earning PLTW Distinguished District status in consecutive years. This suggests the school emphasizes hands-on, engineering-focused learning in science and technology, a pedagogical stance worth discussing directly with the school if STEM-forward instruction matters to your family.

Two soft spots warrant attention. Math proficiency at the middle grades is notably lower than at entry and exit, suggesting students may struggle with the abstract algebra-heavy material in grades six and seven. A parent considering this school might ask what interventions or supports the middle school offers for students who fall behind in math, and what homework expectations and pacing look like. Additionally, state test results represent a single snapshot; a parent would benefit from asking the school about attendance rates, behavioral discipline data, class sizes, teacher turnover, and whether the PLTW curriculum is evenly accessible to all students or concentrated in advanced tracks.

The school and district are part of a small, stable suburban community experiencing modest new growth, particularly around downtown mixed-use redevelopment and apartment construction. Housing values in the Fox River Grove area have held relatively steady, with median values in the area modestly above the state benchmark. The Metra station and riverfront parks define the community's walkable core, though residents rely on nearby towns for shopping and services. Families choosing Fox River Grove are typically drawn to its tight-knit character, river setting, and proximity to Chicago, trading walkability and urban amenities for a quieter, car-dependent lifestyle.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 42%

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 28%

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 727%

School 27% · District 27%

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 842%

School 42% · District 42%

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 566%

School 66% · District 66%

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 661%

School 61% · District 61%

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 747%

School 47% · District 47%

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 854%

School 54% · District 54%

even with state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Science

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 42%

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 859%

School 59% · District 59%

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

This schoolFox River Grove Cons SD 3, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.