The top reported proficiency rate is 90% in English language arts. The lowest is 77% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Clarendon Hills Middle School
Clarendon Hills Middle School serves grades 6 through 8 in an affluent west-suburban village about 18 miles west of Chicago, in eastern DuPage County. The school is part of Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181, which draws students from the tree-lined residential streets and compact downtown of Clarendon Hills, a largely built-out commuter village where most working parents drive to jobs elsewhere.
The school's academic performance shows strength in the tested grades and subjects available. In grade 6, proficiency in math is high, with most students performing at or above state proficiency levels, and English language arts proficiency is also strong. Grade 7 maintains solid performance in both subjects. Grade 8 math proficiency declines noticeably from the sixth-grade level, though it remains respectable; eighth-grade English language arts stays relatively robust. Science results for grade 8 are available and sit at the same level as math. The school achieved full or near-full test participation across all reported grades and subjects. When measured against the other school districts in DuPage County, Clarendon Hills Middle School ranks in the top quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades, positioning it well within a strong county context.
State testing data for grades 3, 4, and 5 was not available, a gap that reflects the school's grade band. The school does not serve grades below 6, so early-elementary assessments do not apply.
The enrollment is small, made up of roughly that size across the three grades. The student population is predominantly white, with meaningful representation of Asian students and a smaller population of Hispanic and multiracial students. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, and English learner status were not available in the school record.
The village of Clarendon Hills itself sits in one of Illinois's more affluent suburban housing markets. Home values in the area have appreciated steadily, and the median monthly rent reflects the community's character as a place where many households have substantial means. Homes sell quickly relative to national averages. The broader real estate context in DuPage County shows modest supply conditions and moderated demand compared to a year ago, though the county remains a seller's market by historical standards.
The district has made curriculum choices that affect how math is taught and how students progress. It adopted i-Ready Classroom Mathematics for grades K–5, emphasizing problem-solving and peer discourse rather than traditional calculation-first methods. The district has also formalized placement criteria for advanced and accelerated math in grades 3–5, creating a defined gateway to higher math tracks in middle and high school. Notably, the district has committed to the traditional Algebra-Geometry-Algebra 2 sequence rather than adopting the integrated math pathway used by Hinsdale Township High School District 86, the feeder high school district. This alignment decision shapes the kind of math preparation a student from Clarendon Hills Middle School brings to high school.
The school sits within an established residential neighborhood rather than on a separate campus. Clarendon Hills as a whole is organized around a walkable downtown centered on the Metra commuter rail station, with civic anchors including Village Hall and the public library within a few blocks. The village is pursuing infill and downtown redevelopment projects rather than greenfield expansion. The community is stable, affluent, and primarily focused on maintaining residential character.
Prospective families should understand that Clarendon Hills Middle School is a neighborhood school serving a high-income, predominantly white suburb with strong overall state test results. The school is part of a district with explicit math curriculum choices and accelerated pathways that begin in elementary school, so families weighing enrollment should understand both the i-Ready approach to elementary math and the district's formal criteria for grade 3–5 acceleration if their child is in that age range or approaching it. The school's grade 8 math proficiency, while still solid, is noticeably lower than grade 6, a pattern a parent may want to look into further with the school to understand whether it reflects student challenge with content difficulty, changing cohort composition, or other factors.
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