Palos South Middle School

Located at 13100 S 82nd Ave, in Palos Park, Illinois, Palos South Middle School is a sprawling 6-8 campus that hosts 717 students (grades 6 through 8), one of the schools within Palos CCSD 118. Compared to the state average of about 462 students per school, that is 55% larger than typical.

Palos South Middle School is one of 3 schools operated by Palos CCSD 118, a district that works with 2,122 students overall.

Demographically, Palos South Middle School reports that the largest single group is White, at 76% of enrollment. Other groups include 15% Hispanic, 3% Black, 3% Asian, 3% multiracial. That is considerably more White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 44%.

On the resource side, Palos South Middle School shows 49 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.6:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.0:1, putting Palos South Middle School higher than the state norm the norm. Roughly 36% of students at Palos South Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is noticeably below Cook County's rate of about 66%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Palos South Middle School is in the OUTPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations model, which fits a per-state line through proficiency and FRL share. Schools with this campus's poverty mix typically land near 50.5%; this one delivers 74.3%, a residual of +23.8 points.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Cook County) records that median household income runs about $83,498, 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. In all, Cook County runs 1406 public schools (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students), of which Palos South Middle School is one.

Palos East Elementary School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.0 miles from this campus. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Palos South Middle School.

The school occupies an outer-ring site.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count held roughly steady: 706 students in 2018 compared to 717 in 2025. Class-load math has pulled in: from 15.8:1 in 2018 to 14.6:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Palos South Middle School typically covers classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.