The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in English language arts. The lowest is 43% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on John E Albright Middle School
John E Albright Middle School serves grades five through eight in Villa Park, a residential western Chicago suburb in DuPage County. The school enrolls a small student body with a diverse composition: roughly equal parts white and Hispanic students, with meaningful representation from Asian and Black families. The community around Villa Park is in active transition, with mixed-use housing developments anchoring the downtown near the Metra station and older residential neighborhoods dominating the broader fabric. In late 2024, Salt Creek School District 48, which operates Albright, won voter approval for a major bond referendum focused on safety, security, traffic flow, and program space across its buildings. That work is now underway, shaping the school environment families are entering.
Academic results show a stark divide between English language arts and mathematics. In English, the school's performance is substantially stronger. Sixth and seventh graders both achieved proficiency well above half the cohort on state assessments, and eighth graders reached performance levels similar to the upper grades. Fifth-grade English proficiency was very high. Science results for the grades assessed also sit above the midpoint for the county. Mathematics, by contrast, is a clear soft spot. Across grades five through eight, math proficiency ranges from the low forties down to the high thirties, meaning most students are not meeting state proficiency standards in this subject. The disparity suggests that while students engage successfully with literacy instruction, math instruction or student mastery in that domain warrants closer attention from families and the school alike. A parent considering Albright may want to look into what the school and district are doing to address this gap and what support is available if a student struggles with mathematics.
Illinois changed proficiency cut scores across subjects for the 2024-25 school year, so direct year-to-year trend comparisons are not reliable. This means families cannot yet see whether the school's current math results represent a decline, a stable condition, or a shift in how the state measures proficiency. When measured against other districts in DuPage County, Albright's overall proficiency index sits above the county midpoint, despite the math weakness, reflecting strength in English and science that carries the overall average up.
The enrollment is small for a middle school. Grade distributions show a slightly larger eighth-grade cohort and smaller sixth-grade numbers, a pattern that may reflect housing changes in the attendance area or family movement within the district. The racial and ethnic makeup is roughly half white, with the other half split among Asian, Hispanic, Black, and Native American families. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and on English learners or students with disabilities was not available, so a parent interested in the depth of support services or the socioeconomic profile of the school population should ask the school directly about those numbers.
The school is a regular public school with no special status or alternative mission. It sits at 1110 South Villa Avenue in the heart of Villa Park's older residential zones, a few blocks from the downtown core and within reach of the Illinois Prairie Path and Salt Creek Trail that support biking and walking in the community. Villa Park's housing market is modest by regional standards, with a median listing price in the mid-range for the county and rents similarly positioned. The village's economy leans on retail, light manufacturing, and construction, so families here tend to be working professionals and small-business owners rather than high-income enclaves.
The district's bond investment and the school's clear strength in English suggest that Albright is positioned to offer a solid foundation through middle grades, particularly for students who benefit from strong literacy instruction. The math gap is real and worth investigating directly with the school before enrollment. For families seeking a small, reasonably integrated middle school in a stable suburban setting with active community investment in facilities, Albright fits that profile. For families whose students need intensive math support or whose priorities center on accelerated mathematics offerings, conversations with the school about differentiation, tutoring, or supplemental resources should happen early.
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