Northwood Middle School, Woodstock IL

Original Research by School Decision on Northwood Middle School

Northwood Middle School serves grades six through eight in Woodstock, a county seat and outer Chicago exurb anchored by a preserved 19th-century downtown. The school enrolls a student body that is roughly evenly split between white and Hispanic students, with smaller populations of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. Demographic data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and English learners was not available.

In English language arts, the school shows strength across its grade band. Sixth and seventh graders both show proficiency rates above the midpoint, while eighth graders reach a higher mark still. Reading and writing proficiency increases as students progress from sixth through eighth grade. Science proficiency, measured for eighth grade only, sits in the mid-range. Mathematics presents a different picture. Sixth-grade math proficiency is moderate, seventh-grade proficiency dips noticeably below the midpoint, and eighth-grade proficiency improves but remains below the sixth-grade level. A parent looking closely at math pathway and support may want to check with the school about how seventh-grade mathematics is structured and what interventions or additional resources are available for students who fall below proficiency.

Compared to other districts in McHenry County, Northwood's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile. This reflects particularly strong ELA performance that lifts the school's standing even as math results carry more weight among families prioritizing quantitative outcomes.

Woodstock itself is in active residential growth for the first time in roughly a decade. The city approved a major subdivision development bringing hundreds of new single-family homes and is reviewing a downtown multifamily project. The city is simultaneously undertaking a downtown master plan and comprehensive plan update. This development activity signals both population increase and civic investment, though families relocating for school access should note that growth can strain facilities and create period of transition.

The district recently made a property tax reduction for the tax cycle, using fund balances to pay down debt rather than raise levies, a notable move in a county where property taxes are typically high. In fall 2025, the district also launched district-wide micro-internship and internship programs for high school students, embedding work-based learning into the pathway structure. Both moves signal fiscal discipline and a shift toward career-connected curriculum.

The school's testing participation is strong, with nearly all students taking both math and ELA assessments across the grade band. Science testing participation in eighth grade is similarly robust. State assessment data for grades three through five were not available; Northwood serves only grades six through eight, so those grades are not tested.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 641%

School 41% · District 39% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 732%

School 32% · District 45% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 846%

School 46% · District 46%

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 673%

School 73% · District 71% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 771%

School 71% · District 76% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 875%

School 75% · District 77% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Science

Grade 852%

School 52% · District 53% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

This schoolWoodstock CUSD 200, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.