The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Brookwood Jr High School
Brookwood Jr High School serves grades seven and eight in Glenwood, a quiet residential village about twenty miles south of downtown Chicago in Cook County. The school has a small enrollment for its grade band, with roughly equal numbers of seventh and eighth graders. The student body is predominantly Black, with a notable Hispanic population and very few white students or students of other races. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and special populations such as English learners or students with IEPs were not available, so a reader would want to inquire directly with the school about the economic and support-service context of the community it serves.
State assessment results show a clear subject-and-grade-level pattern. In English language arts, seventh graders reached proficiency at a rate slightly above the midpoint, while eighth graders did considerably better. Mathematics tells a starker story: seventh-grade proficiency was low, and eighth-grade proficiency dropped sharply further. Science proficiency for eighth grade, the only grade tested, sat below the midpoint. On the proficiency index measuring overall performance across subjects and grades, Brookwood sits in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Cook County. Student participation in testing was near or at full rates, so these results reflect actual student performance rather than testing gaps.
The school sits within Brookwood School District 167, which recently opened SmartLabs at both of its elementary schools, dedicated spaces for hands-on STEM learning in coding, robotics, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence. This means students arriving at the junior high from district elementary schools have already spent time in these environments. The district does not report broader strategic priorities or recent programming changes beyond these lab openings, so a parent would benefit from speaking with the school about curriculum design, support structures for students struggling in math, and any enrichment or acceleration pathways available.
Glenwood itself is a car-dependent suburb with a modest commercial strip on Main Street and significant green space through Cook County forest preserves. Housing stock consists largely of older single-family ranches and split-levels in the affordable range. The housing market shows moderate activity with no rapid new construction; instead, redevelopment is underway along Halsted Street and at sites like Lincoln Crossings. The area does not have Metra rail service; residents rely on cars or regional buses. Employment sectors serving Glenwood residents center on education and health care, with many commuting to nearby South Suburban employers.
The school's academic results, particularly the sharp decline in seventh-to-eighth-grade mathematics proficiency, merit direct conversation with administrators about root causes, instructional approach, and student support. A parent evaluating this school would want to understand the retention and advancement strategies in place, whether tutoring or intervention programs exist, and how the school's climate and culture support early adolescents navigating a challenging academic trajectory. The strength of the ELA result in eighth grade suggests the school can teach successfully in at least one core subject, which is relevant context for understanding where effort and resources are concentrated.
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