The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 27% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Marquardt Middle School
Marquardt Middle School is a mid-sized grades-6-through-8 school in Glendale Heights, a far-west Chicago suburb in DuPage County. The enrollment is stable and notably diverse, with substantial Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Black, and white populations represented.
The school's most recent state assessment results show uneven performance by grade and subject. In English language arts, sixth grade proficiency runs strong at roughly two-thirds, eighth grade reaches just over half, and seventh grade sits in the mid-40s, suggesting either variation in instructional strength across grades or differences in student cohorts as they move through the school. Mathematics proficiency is substantially weaker across all middle grades, with sixth grade around one-third proficient, seventh grade approaching one-third, and eighth grade around one-fifth. Eighth grade science proficiency is in the mid-40s. These results position the school below the midpoint among the county's district schools when looking across tested subjects and grades. Test participation rates are very high, above 97 percent across grades, so these figures reflect near-complete coverage of the student body.
The district has recently adopted a strategic plan for 2025 through 2030 built around a "Portrait of a Graduate" framework, which establishes educational priorities for all four elementary schools and Marquardt Middle School. That planning layer shapes what curriculum and school improvement work families can expect over the next several years. The district also operates a recurring schedule of six half-day school improvement days per year, typically on select Wednesdays or Thursdays, where students attend roughly half a day of instruction while staff engage in planning and curriculum development. This is now a permanent feature of the calendar, so families budgeting childcare and work schedules should account for it going forward.
Marquardt sits in Glendale Heights, a fully developed suburban community of mid-century ranch homes, split-levels, and townhomes. The housing market is active; median home prices are moderately below the national benchmark and median rents are in line with regional affordability patterns. The neighborhood is auto-oriented, built around commercial corridors and arterials rather than a walkable downtown. Camera Park, a 64-acre civic space with playgrounds, athletic fields, trails, and a skate park, anchors community life and sits near the school area. The village's employment base includes a hospital, industrial and business parks, and retail services; many residents commute into Chicago via nearby Interstate 88.
A parent considering this school may want to look into the mathematics program further with the district and school, given how proficiency drops across the grade levels and the gap from county peers. Conversely, the English language arts results, especially at grade six, and the district's deliberate focus on curriculum planning through its strategic framework, suggest academic support and growth pathways are being actively designed. The school's high test participation and the diversity of the student body reflect an inclusive enrollment environment typical of this established suburban district.
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