The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in English language arts. The lowest is 49% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Murphy Junior High School
Murphy Junior High School serves students in grades 6 through 8 in Plainfield, a fast-growing southwest Chicago suburb in Kendall County. The school enrolls a mix of about a third Asian and Hispanic students each, with a larger share of white students and small numbers of Black students and students of two or more races. The student body is diverse and reflects the area's residential expansion over the past decade.
State testing results from the most recent year show mixed proficiency across the three grades and two subjects tested. In English language arts, performance strengthens as students progress. Sixth graders show proficiency around two-thirds at the school level, seventh graders climb to roughly three-quarters, and eighth graders land at around three-fifths. In math, seventh grade is the strongest, hovering at about six in ten students reaching proficiency, while sixth grade lands below that and eighth grade dips further. Across all grades and subjects tested, the school's overall proficiency index positions it above the midpoint among districts in Kendall County. Science was tested only in eighth grade, where proficiency sat at roughly three-fifths. Participation rates were consistently high, hovering near universal or just below it across the grades tested.
The school sits in a growth corridor. Plainfield itself has been one of Illinois's fastest-growing communities, with substantial new residential subdivisions and ongoing commercial development. The district that serves Murphy, Consolidated Unit School District 308, is managing the infrastructure strain from this growth. In 2024 the board approved a long-range facility plan focused on aging buildings from the early-2000s expansion, and in 2025 the district began considering a significant bond referendum for the November 2026 ballot to fund HVAC, roof, and flooring upgrades. For families already living in the area, this is a material property-tax consideration, though the district projects the new debt would be offset by retiring older long-term debt simultaneously.
The district also made a curriculum shift in recent years, replacing its junior high math program with project-based and problem-based inquiry materials that include bilingual English-Spanish resources. This pedagogical change shapes daily instruction for students at Murphy.
Housing values in the 60585 zip code are on the rise, with a year-over-year increase. Renters in the area are paying a meaningful share of household income for housing. The region's unemployment rate sits below the national trend, reflecting suburban Chicago's labor market strength.
State assessment data was complete only for grades 6, 7, and 8 in the tested subjects; grades 3 through 5 do not appear in the data because those grades are not tested at this school. Information about free-or-reduced-price lunch, special education, English learner populations, attendance, discipline, and course offerings was not available. A parent considering this school may want to reach out directly to ask about those particulars and about how the school supports students across the range of proficiency levels shown in the test results.
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