These Are The Best School Districts In IL, New Ranking Says

ILLINOIS — Adlai E. Stevenson High School District in Lincolnshire has been ranked as the best in the United States in Niche’s 2024 Best Schools and Districts rankings, and is one of three Illinois districts to rank in the Top 5, according to a report that was released this week.

Stevenson District 125 was among 15 Illinois school districts to rank in the Top 100 in the United States included in Niche’s ranking of 12,192 school districts nationwide. The list includes 364 newly ranked school districts. Illinois had the top-three ranking districts in the country with Glenbrook High School District 125 and Evanston Township High School District 225 finishing second and third, respectively.

Niche gave District 125 a letter grade of A+. Grades in specific categories were:

• Academics: A+
• Teachers: A+
• Clubs and activities: A+
• Sports: A+
• Resources and facilities: A+
• Diversity: B+
• College prep: A+
• Administration: A+
• Food: A+

The school district, which has 4,392 students in the high school, received high marks from students, parents, and teachers.

"As a former student (at) Stevenson, I recommend sending your child here," one former student wrote in the report. "They have great resources and the teachers are always going to push your child to be the best. If I was falling behind, they would set me up with resources that made me succeed."

The school also boasts a 96 percent graduation rate with students recording an average SAT score of 1360 and an average ACT score of 31, according to the report.

For more information, read the full report on Stevenson District 125

The top 25 school districts in IL and the letter grades assigned by Niche include:

1. Adlai E. Stevenson District 125 A+
2. Glenbrook High School District 225 A+ (Ranked No. 2 nationally)
3. Evanston Township High School District A+ (Ranked No. 3 nationally)
4. Township High School District 113, Highland Park A+ (No. 5)
5. Hinsdale Township High School District 86 A+ (No. 15)
6. Township High School District 211, Palatine A+ (No. 17)
7. Niles Township Community High School District 219 A+ (No. 19)
8. New Trier Township High School District 203 A+ (No. 22)
9. Community High School District 128, Vernon Hills A+ (No. 23)
10. Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203 A+ (No. 32)
11. Barrington Community School District 220 A+ (No. 36)
12. Township High School District 214, Arlington Heights A+ (No. 37)
13. Indian Prairie Community School District 204, Aurora A+ (No. 41)
14. Isu Laboratory Schools, Normal A+ (No. 64)
15. Community High School District 155, Crystal Lake A+ (No. 69)
16. Consolidated High School District 230, Orland Park A+
17. Community Unit School District 200, Wheaton A+
18. Grayslake Community School District 127 A+
19. Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210, Frankfort A+
20. Maine Township High School District 207, Park Ridge A+
21. Glenbard Township High School District 87, Glen Ellyn A+
22. Community High School District 99, Downers Grove A+
23. Elmhurst High School District 205 A+
24. St. Charles Community School District 303 A+
25. Community High School District 117, Lake Villa A+

RELATED: These Are The Top 25 Public High Schools In Illinois, New Rankings Say

Niche also ranked 94,058 public schools and 30,809 private schools. The platform said its rankings were created to provide families with valuable information — both quantitative and qualitative — on schools in their area or in a neighborhood they’re not familiar with yet.

Earlier this week, Niche released its list of top public high schools with Payton College Prep in Chicago, leading the way for Illinois schools and finishing ranked as the fourth best in the country.

The rankings differ from others that rely almost exclusively on test scores and academic performance in that they also include input from students, alumni, and parents, as well as quantitative data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources, and facilities.

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