The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in English language arts. The lowest is 41% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Jerling Junior High School
Jerling Junior High School is a regular public school in Orland Park serving grades six through eight, with an enrollment spread evenly across the three grades. The school sits in a suburban village that straddles Cook and Will counties, roughly a comfortable distance southwest of Chicago, with housing values reflecting a moderately priced suburban market and a median household income at or above regional norms. Orland Park itself is a car-oriented retail and residential community in transition, with active development focused on creating a walkable downtown district around the Metra station, though most civic and shopping life remains spread across the wider area.
The school's academic picture is mixed. In English language arts, Jerling shows solid performance. Proficiency runs in the high range in eighth grade and comfortably above half for sixth and seventh grades. Math proficiency, by contrast, is notably lower. Sixth-grade math proficiency is well below half, while seventh and eighth grades hover near or below half. Science proficiency in eighth grade sits at a moderate level. Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among districts in Cook County, suggesting capable instruction and student work, even as the math numbers warrant attention. A parent may want to look into the math curriculum and support with the school directly, especially around the transition into sixth grade.
The 2024-25 school year brought a major physical expansion to Jerling, with the addition of a fitness center and collaborative learning spaces. That capital investment signals district commitment to the facility and to the junior high grades. The district has also implemented a new, coordinated math curriculum district-wide, paired with interactive learning boards in classrooms and new technology coaching—changes intended to strengthen math instruction from elementary through junior high. Both of these developments suggest active work on the math challenge flagged in recent testing.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller populations of Hispanic, Asian, Black, and multiracial students. The exact count and share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and the counts for special education or English learners, were not available in the data, so a parent seeking that information should contact the school or district directly. Grade-level enrollment is balanced and healthy, with no sign of decline.
Orland SD 135 completed major improvements across five schools in summer 2024 and has planned further modernization starting in 2025, including renovations to classrooms, mechanical systems, and outdoor spaces. The superintendent's contract was extended, suggesting continuity in leadership. The district is investing in capacity and pedagogy at a moment when Orland Park itself is growing through new residential development, particularly in the downtown area near the Metra station. That combination of physical expansion and curriculum refresh creates a stable, improvement-focused environment for middle grades.
Jerling serves a neighborhood cohort from a village with above-average household income and a real-estate market that is moderately priced but appreciating, indicating a stable, predominantly owner-occupied residential base. For a family moving into Orland Park or considering the junior high for other reasons, Jerling represents a standard public school with solid English language arts outcomes, a recognized math challenge being actively addressed, and a district making measurable infrastructure and instructional investments. The key question for prospective families is whether the school's current math performance and the district's recent curriculum work align with their child's needs and progress.
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