The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in Science. The lowest is 48% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on River Trails Middle School
River Trails Middle School serves students in grades six through eight in Mount Prospect, a northwest Chicago suburb. The school has a student enrollment of about average size for its grade band, with roughly equal numbers of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse: about half white, with substantial shares who are Asian and Hispanic, and smaller populations of Black students and students of two or more races.
The school's academic performance data covers only grades six through eight, since those are the grades it serves. On the Illinois Assessment of Readiness in 2024-25, proficiency rates in English language arts rose from just over half of sixth graders meeting or exceeding the state standard to about six in ten eighth graders. In mathematics, the trajectory climbs more steeply across the middle grades, starting at about four in ten sixth graders and reaching about five in ten eighth graders by the time students leave the school. Science proficiency in eighth grade sits at about six in ten. Across the subjects and grades where data is available, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint when compared against other districts in Cook County. These results reflect a steady upward progression through the middle grades and suggest students are building competency as they move through the school.
Testing participation rates exceed ninety-seven percent across all grades and subjects, indicating strong assessment attendance. Free-and-reduced-price-lunch data and special education enrollment figures were not available, so a reader cannot assess the share of economically disadvantaged students or students receiving special education services at River Trails.
The district that operates River Trails Middle School, River Trails SD 26, has recently made curriculum and technology investments that directly shape what students encounter daily. In the last several years, the district adopted new reading and math instructional materials at the middle school level, following new reading materials adoption in the elementary schools. This shift in core subject instruction affects classroom content and teaching approach. The district also maintains a one-to-one Chromebook program for all students, with ongoing device replacements to ensure every child has technology access as part of regular instruction.
Mount Prospect itself is a residential suburb with a compact, pedestrian-oriented downtown centered on a Metra commuter rail station, alongside auto-oriented commercial corridors. Housing values in the area are moderate relative to much of the Chicago region, with the local rental market relatively stable. The village has a notable share of foreign-born residents and serves as a commuter hub to Chicago and O'Hare. Recent redevelopment has transformed the enclosed Randhurst Mall into an open-air mixed-use center and added higher-density housing near the downtown station, though employment in the village declined modestly between 2023 and 2024.
State testing data was incomplete because Illinois changed its proficiency-level cut scores in 2024-25, making prior-year comparisons unreliable, so trend information is not presented here. Graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, and school discipline data were not available. A parent interested in understanding retention rates, attendance patterns, or long-term student outcomes may want to reach out to the school directly to learn what those look like in practice.
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