The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in English language arts. The lowest is 48% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Richard Ira Jones Middle School
Richard Ira Jones Middle School serves grades six through eight in Plainfield, one of the fastest-growing southwest suburbs of Chicago. The school sits in Plainfield SD 202, which spans Plainfield, Bolingbrook, and Joliet and has recently earned statewide "commendable" designation across all its schools, removing the district from Illinois' targeted-support list.
The school's academic profile shows a clear strength in English language arts and a softer performance in mathematics. In sixth grade, about three-quarters of students demonstrated proficiency in ELA, while fewer than half met proficiency in math. Seventh grade followed the same pattern, with math proficiency near half and ELA proficiency around three-quarters. Eighth grade saw a modest uptick in math proficiency and a decline in ELA, landing at roughly one-half and two-thirds respectively. Science results from eighth grade, the year tested, show about three-fifths of students at proficiency. State test participation rates ran very high across all tested grades, approaching complete participation. The school achieved a proficiency index notably above the midpoint among the county's other districts, reflecting solid overall performance.
The school's enrollment falls in the mid-range for a middle school, distributed relatively evenly across the three grades. The student body is predominantly white, with meaningful representation from Hispanic and Asian populations and smaller populations of Black students and other backgrounds. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data were not available in the records provided, and information on students with IEPs or English learners was not included, so a parent may want to request those details directly from the school to understand the full scope of student needs the school serves.
Plainfield itself is a mixed residential-industrial area anchored by a historic downtown along Lockport Street but characterized mainly by suburban subdivisions and newer residential development. The community has grown significantly in recent years and continues to attract new housing construction. The housing market has seen modest price appreciation, and median home values in the area sit in the mid-to-upper range for the county. Transit options are limited to Pace bus service; there is no commuter rail in Plainfield itself.
The district faces important near-term changes that may affect families' experience. A December 2025 boundary decision will shift some high school students out of Plainfield North into other high schools beginning in 2026-27, a change driven by overcrowding and likely to reshape which school ninth graders and beyond feed into depending on their subdivision. Additionally, the district was reclassified under the state funding formula in a way that reduces annual state revenue substantially, a shift the district has said may force staffing and program reductions beginning in 2026-27. This creates budget uncertainty that families choosing the district may want to monitor. On the positive side, the district recently redesigned its kindergarten model to place a full-time paraprofessional in every kindergarten classroom and instituted a staggered start week, changes that could matter for families with younger children in the district pipeline.
State assessment results for grades three through five were not available, as the school serves only grades six through eight. A four-year graduation rate does not apply to a middle school. No data on attendance, discipline, advanced coursework, or staffing were included in the records reviewed, so families interested in those dimensions should reach out to the school directly.
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