Best High Schools in Illinois

High schools
710
Students
601,411
Avg actual
39%
Avg projected
24%
Impact
meet expectations

The top high schools in Illinois, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Young Magnet High School

A+

SchoolGrade

98%

Actual Test Scores

59%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 2148 Students

2. Illinois Mathematics And Science

A+

SchoolGrade

98%

Actual Test Scores

63%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Il Mathematics & Science Academy • Public • Grades 10 - 12 • 628 Students

3. Northside College Preparatory Hs

A+

SchoolGrade

93%

Actual Test Scores

57%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1040 Students

4. Payton College Preparatory Hs

A+

SchoolGrade

93%

Actual Test Scores

57%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1233 Students

5. Lane Technical High School

A+

SchoolGrade

93%

Actual Test Scores

57%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 4496 Students

6. University Of Illinois High Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

70%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

University Of Ill Lab School • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 306 Students

7. Jones College Prep High School

A+

SchoolGrade

89%

Actual Test Scores

48%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1941 Students

8. Glenbrook North High School

A+

SchoolGrade

88%

Actual Test Scores

72%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Glenbrook Hsd 225 • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2062 Students

9. Taft High School

A+

SchoolGrade

88%

Actual Test Scores

44%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 4464 Students

10. New Trier Township H S Winnetka

A+

SchoolGrade

88%

Actual Test Scores

82%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Doesn't Meet Expectations

New Trier Twp Hsd 203 • Public • Grades 10 - 12 • 2856 Students

See all 693 high schools here ranked

Best Middle Schools in Illinois

Middle schools
690
Students
323,961
Avg actual
45%
Avg projected
27%
Impact
meet expectations

The top middle schools in Illinois, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Thurgood Marshall School

A+

SchoolGrade

96%

Actual Test Scores

69%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Rockford Sd 205 • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 482 Students

2. Reservoir Gifted School

A+

SchoolGrade

92%

Actual Test Scores

66%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Peoria Sd 150 • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 277 Students

3. Butler Junior High School

A+

SchoolGrade

88%

Actual Test Scores

66%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Butler Sd 53 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 190 Students

4. Daniel Wright Jr High School

A+

SchoolGrade

87%

Actual Test Scores

70%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Lincolnshire-prairieview Sd 103 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 764 Students

5. Maple School

A+

SchoolGrade

87%

Actual Test Scores

66%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Northbrook/glenview Sd 30 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 414 Students

6. Wood Oaks Jr High School

A+

SchoolGrade

86%

Actual Test Scores

67%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Northbrook Esd 27 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 475 Students

7. Hickory Creek Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

86%

Actual Test Scores

50%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Frankfort Ccsd 157c • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 910 Students

8. Northbrook Junior High School

A+

SchoolGrade

85%

Actual Test Scores

64%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Northbrook Sd 28 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 631 Students

9. Kennedy Junior High School

A+

SchoolGrade

85%

Actual Test Scores

57%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Naperville Cusd 203 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 931 Students

10. Bradford Jr High School

A+

SchoolGrade

84%

Actual Test Scores

17%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Bradford Cusd 1 • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 44 Students

See all 613 middle schools here ranked

Best Elementary Schools in Illinois

Elementary schools
3,022
Students
1,012,108
Avg actual
43%
Avg projected
27%
Impact
meet expectations

The top elementary schools in Illinois, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Thurgood Marshall Elementary

A+

SchoolGrade

98%

Actual Test Scores

55%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Rockford Sd 205 • Public • Grades 1 - 4 • 365 Students

2. Edison Elem Regional Gifted Cntr

A+

SchoolGrade

96%

Actual Test Scores

63%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 267 Students

3. Decatur Classical Elem School

A+

SchoolGrade

96%

Actual Test Scores

62%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 323 Students

4. Skinner North Elem Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

94%

Actual Test Scores

75%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 490 Students

5. Oak Elem School

A+

SchoolGrade

94%

Actual Test Scores

72%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Hinsdale Ccsd 181 • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 381 Students

6. Hawthorne Elem Scholastic Academy

A+

SchoolGrade

94%

Actual Test Scores

47%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 604 Students

7. Keller Elem Gifted Magnet School

A+

SchoolGrade

93%

Actual Test Scores

59%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

City Of Chicago Sd 299 • Public • Grades 1 - 8 • 213 Students

8. Damiansville Elem School

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

31%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Damiansville Sd 62 • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 89 Students

9. Iles Elem School

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

56%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Springfield Sd 186 • Public • Grades 1 - 8 • 391 Students

10. Mckenzie Elem School

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

65%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Wilmette Sd 39 • Public • Grades KG - 4 • 444 Students

See all 2178 elementary schools here ranked

Education & Community Snapshot in Illinois

State-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.

Community Factors

Illinois has a total population of 12,812,508 with 25% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 90%, and 37% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Students in Illinois

2,029,701

K-12 Students

High School Graduates

90%

Adults 25+ with HS diplomas

College Graduates

37%

Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher

Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Illinois.

Safety

Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.

Overall Crime Grade

B

16.82 per 1,000 Residents

Violent Crime Grade

B+

2.91 per 1,000 Residents

Property Crime Grade

B+

13.91 per 1,000 Residents

Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Illinois.

Connectivity

Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Illinois.

ISP Report Card

B

Internet Infrastructure Grade

Average Download Speed

2,479 Mbps

Speed Most Residents Can Get

Digital Connectivity Index

67 / 100

ISP Connectivity Demand Report

To read more about these statistics, please visit Illinois Internet Health Assessment.

Questions About Schools in Illinois

How many schools are in Illinois?

Illinois has 4,811 public schools: 710 high schools, 690 middle schools and 3,022 elementary schools, serving 2,029,701 students in total.

How do schools in Illinois perform on state tests?

On average, 4,811 schools in Illinois score 43% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 27%, so on average schools in Illinois meet expectations.

How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Illinois?

Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.

Best Schools in Cities Near Illinois

Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.

Indiana

  • Actual: 41%
  • Projected: 38%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Wisconsin

  • Actual: 43%
  • Projected: 42%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Missouri

  • Actual: 42%
  • Projected: 36%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Iowa

  • Actual: 72%
  • Projected: 56%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Kentucky

  • Actual: 42%
  • Projected: 34%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Michigan

  • Actual: 39%
  • Projected: 35%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Ohio

  • Actual: 58%
  • Projected: 45%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Tennessee

  • Actual: 40%
  • Projected: 37%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Minnesota

  • Actual: 36%
  • Projected: 44%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
West Virginia

  • Actual: 30%
  • Projected: 34%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations

Every city and county in Illinois

School rankings for each place: 2240 cities, towns and neighborhoods, and 104 counties.

Counties

Cities and towns

School district map of Illinois

Every public school district in Illinois with graded schools. Hover for the district and its school count; click to open its page.

shaded by the district's average SchoolGrade, F to A; grey = not yet graded. Boundaries from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Districts without a page (fewer than three graded schools) are not linked.

Largest school districts in Illinois

The 25 districts with the most graded schools in Illinois. Each district page lists every one of its schools.