The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in English language arts. The lowest is 50% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Wm F Gurrie Middle School
Wm F Gurrie Middle School is a regular public middle school serving grades 7 and 8 in La Grange, located within La Grange School District 105 South. The school enrolls a small, balanced cohort split equally between the two grades.
The student body reflects the demographic diversity of its part of Cook County. Just over half the enrollment is white, while nearly two-fifths identify as Hispanic. Asian, biracial, and Black students each make up a small share. Economically disadvantaged students and their families comprise some segment of the roll, though specific free-and-reduced-price-lunch data was not available. Similarly, the counts of students with individualized education plans and English learners were not reported.
In state testing this past year, the school showed uneven results. In English language arts, seventh and eighth graders performed better: roughly three-quarters of seventh graders and a bit more than two-thirds of eighth graders met proficiency. Math tells a different story. Seventh-grade math proficiency stood at nearly three-fifths, while eighth-grade math fell to just above half. Eighth-grade science was slightly below half. The school does test in these core subjects at both grades, and participation rates were near universal, so these numbers reflect genuine differences in performance across the cohort. Among the county's districts, the school's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint, a respectable comparative standing though not a top-tier one. State testing data for grades 3 through 6 do not appear because this is a middle school serving only grades 7 and 8.
A parent may want to look into the school's approach to strengthening math, since proficiency in that subject dropped noticeably from seventh to eighth grade. Asking the school about support structures, intervention programs, and teaching strategies in that area would be sensible.
The school sits within La Grange proper, a predominantly residential historic village with a walkable downtown core about 13 to 14 miles west of Chicago. Two Metra commuter rail stations serve the area, placing the school community within commuting distance of the city. Housing in La Grange spans single-family Victorian and early-20th-century homes as well as newer condos; median home values are solidly middle-to-upper-class suburban, and the rental market follows similar contours. The village recently adopted a comprehensive plan calling for transit-oriented, moderately increased density along the Metra corridor, mixed with affordability initiatives.
One parent-relevant detail: in 2025, the district mistakenly overcharged property taxpayers due to a filing error on a bond abatement. The district announced it would offset this with a lower levy in the following year, so the impact is a one-time bump with a planned correction, but homeowners and prospective residents should be aware it affected tax bills in the district's service area.
No information about course offerings, staffing levels, discipline policies, or student support services beyond academics was available in the data. The school's website was not provided, so a parent seeking details about clubs, athletics, counseling, or other enrichments should contact the school or district directly.
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