The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in English language arts. The lowest is 51% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Percy Julian Middle School
Percy Julian Middle School is a public middle school in Oak Park serving grades six through eight. It sits within one of Illinois' most walkable and transit-rich suburbs, anchored by a strong commercial downtown and embedded in a residential neighborhood where families can walk to the school.
The student body is diverse in race and ethnicity. White students comprise the largest share of enrollment, followed by substantial Black and Hispanic populations, with smaller Asian and multiracial representation. Free and reduced lunch eligibility data was not available, so the economic composition is not documented in these records.
On state testing, Julian's English language arts proficiency runs measurably stronger than math. In grade six, about two-thirds of students met or exceeded proficiency in ELA compared to roughly half in math. This gap widened slightly in grade seven, where ELA hit near two-thirds and math fell to near half again. Grade eight showed the highest proficiency in both subjects, with ELA at about seven-tenths and math at about half again. Science proficiency at grade eight landed just above half. Participation rates across subjects and grades consistently exceeded ninety percent, indicating the school is testing nearly all its enrolled students.
Across all reported grades and subjects, Julian's overall proficiency index positions the school above the midpoint among Cook County school districts. The school's ELA performance is a relative strength; math and science sit closer to the county median. A parent may want to look into the school's math programming directly, to understand how instruction is structured and whether support systems are in place for students not yet meeting grade-level standards.
Beginning this school year, District 97's two middle schools—Brooks and Julian—shifted to a new daily schedule after years on a block format. Previously, students attended core classes every other day for longer blocks. Under the new structure, core classes in science, social studies, English, and math now meet every day in shorter periods, alongside one elective. This is a meaningful shift in how much daily contact and reinforcement students receive in each core subject; parents new to the school or considering it should understand that this redesign is still in its first year.
Concurrently, the district adopted a new middle school social studies curriculum from Discovery Education, replacing prior materials, and completed a multi-year review of elementary ELA resources that is likely to flow into Julian's feeder elementary schools over time. These changes reflect deliberate curriculum work but also signal pedagogical transitions families should ask the school about directly.
Oak Park itself is essentially built out, with growth happening through infill rather than sprawl. The housing market is active, with a mix of historic single-family homes, apartments, and new mixed-use developments such as Oak Park Commons, an Illinois first in cohousing that welcomed residents in late 2025. Home values and rents both reflect a fairly affluent suburb close to Chicago with strong walkability and transit access. The broader economic context—mortgage rates around six and a half percent, stable unemployment, regional transit strength—shapes the affordability calculus for families considering the area.
At the district level, recent budget pressures resulted in the elimination of two central office positions and the layoff of eight teachers for 2026-27, signaling tightening finances. This context matters for families weighing long-term stability and program continuity at the school.
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