The top reported proficiency rate is 63% in English language arts. The lowest is 33% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Parkland School
Parkland School is a middle school serving grades six through eight in McHenry, a mid-sized Fox River city roughly northwest of Chicago. The school enrolls about mid-sized enrollment for its grade band, with the majority of students identifying as white or Hispanic and a smaller share representing other backgrounds. No data was available on the school's free-or-reduced-price lunch rates, English learner population, or special education enrollment counts.
The school's state assessment results show a mixed profile. In English language arts, performance is stronger in the upper grades. Sixth graders reached proficiency at roughly two-thirds on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, seventh graders at roughly the same level, and eighth graders at just over half. Participation rates in ELA have been very high, above 99 percent across all three grades. In mathematics, the picture is notably weaker. Sixth graders achieved proficiency at about one-third, seventh graders slightly higher at under two-fifths, and eighth graders at just under one-third. All three grade levels showed near-universal test participation. Science results, available only for eighth grade, showed about half meeting proficiency. The overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint among districts in McHenry County.
State testing data note: Sixth, seventh, and eighth grades served at Parkland are the tested grades for this school. Third, fourth, and fifth grade results are reported in the data but do not apply because Parkland does not serve those grades; the school's grades are six through eight only. The data reflects sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade results only.
McHenry, where the school is located, blends historic downtown riverfront character on the east side with commercial development along state highways. Three small downtown districts (Main Street, Green Street, Riverside Drive) contain walkable pockets with specialty shops and restaurants; the McHenry Public Library anchors the civic fabric, and the Metra station serves limited weekday service to Chicago. Outside the downtown core, the built environment is auto-oriented, anchored by Routes and running thousands of vehicles daily. Petersen Park and the McHenry Riverwalk along Boone Creek offer public gathering spaces. Major employers include Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, multiple school districts, manufacturing firms, and retail centers. The city is engaged in steady infill and redevelopment rather than rapid growth, with recent activity centered on downtown storefronts and the major commercial corridors.
Housing in McHenry County ranges at the middle end for the region. Home values reflect gradual appreciation, and rental rates sit around moderate for the Chicago area. Mortgage affordability and rent-to-income percentages place the market in a middle ground for a suburban community. Unemployment has remained stable at moderate levels, and household income regionally is solid.
The district, McHenry CCSD 15, made a significant structural change at the end of the 2024-25 school year by closing Landmark School, which had operated the district's only year-round continuous-learning-calendar program since the 1990s. Students from that program returned to their home schools, including Parkland, beginning 2025-26. The district cited roughly 12 to 13 million dollars needed to bring the Landmark building to modern standards as a key factor in the closure decision. The building has since been sold and will be converted into a community center. This change removes a school-of-choice option that families in the area had relied on and reshapes how the district allocates resources.
A parent considering Parkland should note the gap between ELA and math performance. The school's English proficiency rates are respectable, especially in sixth and seventh grades, but math results across all three grades are below county medians and well below half of students meeting standard. A parent may want to look further into the school's math curriculum, tutoring, and intervention structures. Strong test participation rates suggest the school and families engage fully in state assessment. Parkland is a traditional public middle school with no charter or magnet status, serving the families it draws from this McHenry neighborhood. The combination of steady community investment, moderate housing costs, and established civic anchors offers a stable setting, though the district's recent facility closure and consolidation signal ongoing operational choices about resource allocation.
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