2024 Best Public Middle Schools in Illinois

• Kenilworth, IL•

• Public School•

• PK, K-8

• grade A+

• Students 469

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  8 reviews

Middle school student: Most of the teachers are nice the rules are not that strict if you follow the rules you should be good most of the teachers are pretty flexible the only downside in my opinion is the food but its not that bad the counselors have helped me plenty of times and the higher ups are really nice... Read 8 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 979

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4.22 out of 5  9 reviews

Middle School Student: Great school, there are however a few not-so-great teachers. One teacher outed me to my parents. Few other things happened but overall I think it's a great school. Most of the teachers are great.... Read 9 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,014

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Bannockburn, IL•

• Public School•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  4 reviews

Parent: Fantastic school. The administration does a fabulous job with cultivating an inclusive community. Teachers are kind and incredibly responsive when there are questions. There is no school in the area that can top this K-8 experience. We truly hit the jackpot, and are grateful every day.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 153

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Northbrook Elementary School District No. 27, IL•

• 6-8

• grade A+

• Students 495

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Isu Laboratory Schools, IL•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Middle School Student: there are mice in the walls and there are water snakes in the toilet once i found a nest of mice and baby mice in the toilet stalls and the boys always try to hit on me cause i look so beautiful. Anyway since i am amazing my teachers give me amazing grades no matter what i do. I would love this school if there were not any mice.... Read 1 review

• grade A+

• Students 391

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Joliet, IL•

• Public School•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  4 reviews

Parent: Over the past few years, Union School has gone from one of the worst schools in Will County to one of the best. Their test scores are way up, the students receive every opportunity, and the taxpayers get a refund. How lucky we are to live in this district!... Read 4 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 114

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Butler School District No. 53, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Middle School Student: This is the best school in the area! There is so much diversity and the staff cares a lot about the students' education. We are well known for our academics and always come out as #2in the Top 10 highest scoring schools for state standardized testing. Overall, the entire school district is amazing!... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 194

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  9 reviews

Middle school student: PA programs are good for college prep, especially starting from grade 7. Some teachers are on the stricter side, and PA coursework is loaded. The school offers many clubs, which can enrich a student's academic career. These include clubs like Math Counts (math competition across district and state), Science Olympiad, and robotics. Students are also open to starting clubs if they can find a staff sponsor. Administration overreacts sometimes, but overall not bad. In conclusion, PA programs are amazing for college prep (I do not have an idea of what the grade-level coursework is like).... Read 9 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 719

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• West Northfield School District No. 31, IL•

• 6-8

• grade A+

• Students 293

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Lake Forest, IL•

• Public School•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  5 reviews

Parent: My 3 children received a phenomenal education at Rondout! It's a K-8 School with an amazing staff and community. The student to teacher ratio allows for truly differentiated and individualized instruction for all students. The school has a strong community and family feel. Each child is treated as an individual and has his or her own learning plan. My children are doing great things at Libertyville High School because they received such a strong foundation at Rondout. The small classes really help the kids socially and the typical pressures of middle school are absent at Rondout . I can't recommend it enough!... Read 5 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 137

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.86 out of 5  7 reviews

Freshman: Granger was an amazing school. The teachers tried their best and succeeded in getting students for high school and college. The only thing I would change are sports. The schools forte was never in sports rather it was weak. Granger contained a very good curriculum which I have used in and outside of school. Similarly, there were many school programs such as Grizzleaders which was a club similar to key club. In this club students did community service along with PSA’s to the entire school. Overall granger was an amazing school... Read 7 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,042

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Libertyville, IL•

• Public School•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 4.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Middle School Student: It’s way above average because of many things for different reasons and of all the activities and support given!!... Read 5 reviews

• grade A

• Students 913

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Northbrook-Glenview School District No. 30, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  5 reviews

Middle School Student: I love this school! The teachers are AMAZING, and you feel like you really bond with them. Maple is focused on academics, and all the kids preform really well there. At Maple I feel like it’s my home away from home. Kids here do stress out over grades, but they always have people to help them with it.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A

• Students 399

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Alum: Crone Middle School does an excellent job of preparing students to conquer the rigorous courses of high school. I only attended Crone during my 7th and 8th grade, but those years cultivated my love for excelling in academics. I came from a different middle school in the IPSD School District, and I am glad to say Crone is my personal favorite. This middle school has great accelerated programs and also a fantastic music program. I highly recommend for students to get involved in chorus, orchestra, or band. The sports teams here set up student-athletes to succeed in high school. I've never felt unsafe in the halls of Crone, and I've had some dedicated and inspiring teachers. There are so many opportunities that this school offers!... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 842

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203, IL•

• 5-8

• •
  Rating 1 out of 5  1 review

• grade A

• Students 566

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 1.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Freshman: I loved going to Lincoln a majority of the time. There were so many opportunities for me there and I got to try a lot of new things. I loved most of my teachers, there were a couple who were very strict and pushy but the rest I enjoyed. Overall I had a great experience there and am glad I had the chance to attend school there.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A

• Students 747

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Alum: The Exploratories Program (Family And ConsumerScience, Tech, and Art) is a good way to learn life skills and foster creativity.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• Students 604

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Newark, IL•

• Public School•

• K-8

• grade A

• Students 107

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Freshman: The school was great in terms of teaching and education but the reason why I'm taking away a star is because it's a very old school and needs maintenance. The air conditioning only works in some parts of the school and it's really loud, especially when taking a test it can be distracting. Other than that it was a nice school.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

• Students 850

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Niles, IL•

• Public School•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 2.71 out of 5  7 reviews

Parent: The students are treated like family. All staff knows them by name. Teachers are caring and involved.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A

• Students 650

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Community Consolidated School District 181, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Alum: Hinsdale Middle School is one of the best out there. All of the courses I had the privilege to take there prepared me for high school definitively. Although I didn't always felt like I fit in, I was only there for three years so I really couldn't care less. I felt prepared going into high school, which is all that really matters.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

• Students 743

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Sunset Ridge School District No. 29, IL•

• 4-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

High School Junior: The teachers were superb and had the resources to create a great experience. The Gifted/Enrichment program was unbelievably wonderful with passionate teachers who had the highest level degrees and published authors on the subject. The Special Education program gave one-on-one attention to the students who needed help.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• Students 256

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Lagrange Highlands School District No. 106, IL•

• 5-8

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  6 reviews

Alum: Highlands Middle School has some of the most engaging and dedicated faculty on the planet. The school offers innumerable resources to both students and parents in a variety of ways. Academically, students have the option to take French or Spanish, are given MacBooks for studying, have access to a well-kept library, and enjoy very progressive teaching methods. Additionally, Highlands provides a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for learning with fun dances and sports games. My favorite experiences during my time at Highlands was our Service Day and later our Team Building day. Both are done on half-days and give students the oppertunity to learn material that is not covered in the classroom.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A

• Students 432

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Lake Bluff Elementary School District No. 65, IL•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Freshman: Best middle school experience! Teachers and staff were amazing! I’ll never forget my memories there :)... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 315

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1