The 2026 Illinois School Report Card was released on October 30, showing progress across a range of academic and student success indicators while introducing Profiles of Performance, Illinois' redesigned accountability framework.

Districts are encouraged to use ISBE-provided resources to report data to their communities, including the Communicating Your School’s Profile document.

News from the report, as highlighted by the Illinois State Board of Education, includes:

Graduation Rates Reach Record High: Illinois' four-year graduation rate reached 89.8% in 2026, marking a record high and continuing a long-term trend of improvement. Since 2012, the state's graduation rate has increased by more than nine percentage points and has now surpassed Illinois' Every Student Succeeds Act target of 88.9%, a milestone reached four years ahead of schedule.

Illinois Students Make Strong Academic Gains: Statewide proficiency increased across all three tested subjects in 2026, rising from 52.4% to 55.4% in English language arts, from 38.4% to 39.2% in math, and from 44.6% to 48.7% in science. Gains were observed across student groups and grade levels statewide.

Chronic Absenteeism Improves Across Student Groups: Chronic absenteeism declined for the fourth consecutive year, continuing Illinois' progress in reconnecting students to the classroom following pandemic-era disruptions. The statewide rate fell from 29.8% in 2022 to 23.5% in 2026, a 21.1% improvement.

ISBE also highlights growth and diversification in the teacher workforce and advances in college and career readiness.

Beginning with the 2026 Illinois Report Card, ISBE is implementing a redesigned accountability system built around Profiles of Performance. Developed through extensive stakeholder engagement, the new system is designed to provide clearer expectations, support continuous improvement, and give families and educators a more meaningful picture of school performance.

The 2026 Illinois Report Card provides a snapshot of school performance data from the 2025-26 school year. Visit IllinoisReportCard.com for interactive data visualizations and school, district, and statewide Report Card information. Additional resources, including statewide trend data, student growth data, and downloadable Report Card datasets, are available through ISBE’s Report Card webpage.