Illinois Report Card shows record 89.8% graduation rate as new school ratings debut

Illinois public high schools graduated a record 89.8% of students in four years, according to the 2026 Illinois Report Card, which the Illinois State Board of Education released Friday.^{1, 2} The rate was up from 89% in 2025 and 87.7% in 2024, Shaw Local reported.¹

The annual report card covers each school and district’s test scores, graduation, attendance and teacher staffing.^{1, 3} This year it also carries the first ratings under a redesigned accountability system the state calls Profiles of Performance.^{1, 2}

Test scores

Under the state’s tests, 55.4% of students were proficient in English language arts, up from 52.4% a year earlier, and 39.2% were proficient in math, up from 38.4%, according to Shaw Local’s reading of the data.¹ WGLT and Chalkbeat reported somewhat higher statewide figures, about 56% in English language arts and close to 40% in math.^{2, 3} None of the three reports explained the difference.^{1, 2, 3}

Science showed the largest gain of the three subjects, rising from 44.6% to 48.7% proficient, according to Shaw Local.¹ Because the state lowered its proficiency cut scores in 2025, this year’s results can be compared only with last year’s, Chalkbeat reported.³

“Math remains an area where additional growth is needed,” State Superintendent Tony Sanders said at a news conference, according to Shaw Local.¹

Attendance and teachers

Chronic absenteeism fell to 23.5%, the fourth straight annual decline, Shaw Local reported.¹ That is about six points below 2022 but still about six points above pre-pandemic levels, according to the same report.¹

The teacher retention rate topped 90% for the first time in more than a decade, Chalkbeat reported.³ Illinois has added more than 12,000 teachers since 2019, according to WGLT.²

New school ratings

Under the old system, only the top 10% of schools could be rated Exemplary.^{1, 3} Under Profiles of Performance, any school that meets the criteria can earn the top rating.^{1, 2}

“Under Profiles of Performance, any school that meets established exemplary criteria can earn that designation,” Sanders said, according to Shaw Local.¹ Chalkbeat put the share of schools rated Exemplary this year at 27%; WGLT put it at 28.3%.^{2, 3}

The ratings now run from Exemplary through Approaching Exemplary, Commendable and Developing to Comprehensive, the lowest tier, which was previously called Targeted, according to WGLT.²

“The fact that we’re seeing the progress we are on a number of fronts is good news,” said Robin Steans, president of the education advocacy group Advance Illinois, according to Chalkbeat.³

Chicago and McLean County

In Chicago Public Schools, the four-year graduation rate rose from 82.5% in 2025 to more than 83%, and the share of schools rated Exemplary rose from 2% to 9%, Chalkbeat reported.³

In McLean County, Bloomington’s District 87 raised its graduation rate to 88% from 76.5% a year earlier, and Unit 5’s rose to 91% from 88.5%, according to WGLT.²