Best Schools in Des Plaines, Illinois

Des Plaines, Illinois runs 17 ranked public schools with an average score of 6.5 out of 10 — a solid mid-range performance for a suburban Cook County city. Nearly half the system clears the 7-point mark: 8 schools, or 47% of ranked schools, score 7 or above, giving families more high-performing options than many comparable communities. The gap between the city average and its top performers is wide, so school choice within Des Plaines matters more than in systems where scores cluster tightly.

Elementary options lead the pack. Brentwood Elementary School tops the city at 8.6 out of 10 — the highest score in Des Plaines and a clear outlier above the 6.5 city average. Iroquois Community School (7.6) and Terrace Elementary (7.1) also clear the 7-point threshold, giving families in those attendance zones strong starting points. Parents whose address falls outside these boundaries should weigh open-enrollment or transfer options, since elementary performance here varies meaningfully by school.

The middle school picture is equally encouraging. Friendship Junior High School scores 8.4 out of 10, trailing only Brentwood in the city rankings and making it one of the stronger middle schools in suburban Cook County. Algonquin Middle School follows at 7.2 — above both the city average and the 7-point benchmark. Two above-average middle schools in one city reduces the concern parents often face when strong elementary outcomes don't carry through to the intermediate grades.

For parents comparing Des Plaines to neighboring communities, the 47% rate of schools scoring 7 or above and an 8.6 top score give the city a competitive profile without requiring a move to a higher-cost district. The practical move: identify which elementary and middle school serves your specific address, check whether it falls in the top half of Des Plaines scorers, and use open-enrollment policies as a lever if it doesn't. Families entering the system at kindergarten have the most flexibility — and in Des Plaines, that flexibility can make a meaningful difference.