The top reported proficiency rate is 90% in English language arts. The lowest is 70% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mcclure Jr High School
McClure Jr High School is a public middle school serving grades 6 through 8 in Western Springs, a small, affluent residential village about 18 miles southwest of Chicago. The school enrolls students from the surrounding area, which is overwhelmingly white and economically comfortable. Free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility data were not available, and demographic details on students with disabilities or English learner status were not reported. The school's overall enrollment is modest for its grade band and distributed fairly evenly across the three grades.
In English Language Arts, McClure's students show strong proficiency. Grade 6 proficiency reaches the high 80s, Grade 7 is in the mid-80s, and Grade 8 climbs above 90 percent. Participation rates in ELA testing are at or near complete across all grades. Performance is notably stronger in ELA than in mathematics. Grade 6 math proficiency sits around 59 percent, which is the lowest mark on the school's tested profile. Grade 7 and Grade 8 math improve markedly, both reaching the low-to-mid 70s. Science results are reported only for Grade 8, where proficiency hovers near 70 percent.
Placed against the cohort of districts across Cook County, McClure's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades falls in the top quartile. This is a genuine strength and reflects that a majority of students are demonstrating grade-level mastery across the school's subjects and grades, even where individual grade-subject pairs show lower rates. The gap between ELA and math performance, particularly in Grade 6, may warrant a parent's attention; a parent considering this school might ask the staff whether this pattern is expected at the transition to middle school or whether there are specific supports in place to shore up math entry-level skills.
State testing data for grades 3 through 5 were not available for this school, likely because McClure serves only grades 6 through 8 and the state tests those earlier grades elsewhere in the district. No graduation rate applies, as the school does not serve high school. Attendance, discipline, or detailed program information were not available in the data received.
Western Springs itself is a stable, tree-lined suburban community where civic life centers on a walkable downtown, a strong park system, and the BNSF Metra commuter rail connection. Housing values in the zip code are substantial and have appreciated; the median listed home price in the local market reflects a high-wealth suburb where most families commute to Chicago for work. The village is largely built out, with growth concentrated in a mixed-use downtown infill and a large new subdivision on a former golf course. A significant 2023 school referendum that raised the district's property tax limiting rate represents the district's first such referendum in decades and will meaningfully increase property tax bills for residents going forward. Any family moving into this area or staying here should expect those higher taxes as a permanent feature of the district's funding model.
McClure sits within the walkable village street grid rather than on a separated campus, placing the school near downtown amenities and residential neighborhoods. The school itself is neither new nor reported to have unusual program breadth; the data provided do not describe specific course offerings, extracurricular activities, or pedagogical approaches. For a parent evaluating this school, the key takeaway is solid overall proficiency, particularly in reading and writing, moderate strength in the higher grades' math, and a peer environment that is predominantly white and from households of above-average means. The school's standing relative to other Cook County middle schools is clearly above the median, though readers should understand the context of the affluent suburb in which it sits.
See more original research from School Decision →