The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in Science. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Colin Powell Middle Sch
Colin Powell Middle School serves grades six through eight in Matteson, a residential suburb roughly thirty miles south of downtown Chicago, and is part of Elementary School District 159, which covers Matteson, Richton Park, and Tinley Park. The school enrolls a small to mid-sized population of middle-grade students with a student body that is predominantly Black, with smaller shares of Hispanic, multiracial, and white students; Asian enrollment is very small. Demographic data on free and reduced-price lunch qualification and students with IEPs or English learner status was not available, so a parent looking for detail on economic need or special-education capacity may want to contact the school directly.
State test results from the most recent year show proficiency rates that are below what is typical across Cook County's school districts. In mathematics, grades six through eight show proficiency rates ranging from single digits to low double digits. English language arts performance is comparatively stronger, with grade six reaching the low to mid-thirties, though grades seven and eight sit in the mid-to-high twenties. Grade eight science proficiency is around one-third. Because cut scores for state assessments changed this year, the school notes that year-over-year trend comparisons are not reliable; looking at these results in isolation, Colin Powell's proficiency profile places it in the bottom quartile among the county's schools. Participation rates are high, with most grades at or very near universal testing. The gap between English language arts and mathematics proficiency is substantial, with math showing particular weakness that a parent or prospective student may want to explore further with the school.
The school sits in Matteson, an auto-oriented commercial suburb centered on U.S. Route 30 and Illinois Route 50, with a long retail corridor anchoring shopping centers, office buildings, and an auto mall. Older residential fabric exists around 215th and Main Streets near the Metra station in what is called Old Matteson, while the broader community is dispersed across subdivisions dating largely to the 1980s through early 2000s. The village is planning a major mixed-use redevelopment called Market Square Crossing on the former Lincoln Mall site, envisioning it as a new town center. Housing values in the Matteson zip code are moderate and have risen slightly year over year; rents are similarly accessible. A Metra commuter rail station serves Old Matteson, and Pace buses run along the commercial corridors.
The district has invested in STEM infrastructure through a community-approved 2021 referendum that built a new Community STEM Center with aerospace, Makerspace, and foundational labs, open to students and families across the district. The district also adopted a 2025-2030 strategic plan centered on consistent, evidence-based, standards-aligned core curriculum across all subject areas, signaling a shift toward more uniform academic programs. A dual-language program launched in the district starting in the 2019-2020 school year, providing bilingual instruction for families who opt into it. Data on specific course offerings, advanced programs, AP access, or specialized pathways at Colin Powell was not available; parents interested in those details should inquire with the school or district directly. Attendance, discipline, and staffing data were also not provided.
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