At a glance
Illinois assigns each school a summative designation (a tiered label, not a letter grade or stars) and publishes a rich Illinois Report Card for every school.
How this state rates schools
Illinois uses four designations: Exemplary (top 10%), Commendable (no underperforming groups, not in the top or bottom tier), Targeted (one or more underperforming student groups), and Comprehensive (bottom 5%). These are based on ESSA indicators like proficiency, growth, graduation, English-learner progress, and climate/attendance.
What gets measured
Under the federal ESSA law, every state rates schools using several indicators. They typically include:
- Academic achievementHow students score on state tests (proficiency in reading/ELA and math)
- Academic growth / progressHow much students improve year to year — not just where they land
- Graduation rateFor high schools (the 4-year cohort rate)
- English-learner progressHow English learners are progressing toward proficiency
- School quality / student successAn extra indicator — often attendance/chronic absenteeism, college/career readiness, or similar
Finding & reading the report card
Look up any school on the Illinois Report Card (illinoisreportcard.com), which shows the designation plus detailed data on achievement, growth, finances, teachers, and climate. Read the designation and the underlying data together.
How families should use ratings
A rating is a helpful starting point, not a verdict. Use it wisely:
- Read it in contextA school’s score reflects its students’ circumstances too, not only its quality
- Look at growth, not just scoresGrowth shows how much a school moves students — often more telling than raw proficiency
- Check the trendIs the school improving over time?
- Look past the summaryDig into the underlying data (subgroups, attendance, readiness)
- Then visitData raises questions; a visit answers them (see our guide on evaluating a school)
Tips for families
- Start on the official portalLook up your specific school, not just district averages
- Weigh growth heavilyHow much a school moves students matters as much as test scores
- Mind the contextRatings partly reflect student demographics and circumstances
- Compare a few schoolsRatings are most useful for comparison, in context
- Pair data with a visitNumbers plus a tour give the real picture
Frequently asked questions
- How does Illinois rate schools?Illinois uses four summative designations (Exemplary, Commendable, Targeted, Comprehensive).
- What do the ratings measure?Test scores, growth, graduation rate, English-learner progress, and a school-quality indicator.
- Where do I look up my school?On the state’s official report-card portal (see below).
- Should I choose a school by its rating alone?No — use it as a starting point, weigh growth and context, and visit.
- What are CSI and TSI?Federal labels for schools flagged for Comprehensive or Targeted Support and Improvement.
At a glance
- FormatSummative designations (4 tiers)
- TiersExemplary, Commendable, Targeted, Comprehensive
- ToolIllinois Report Card
- Look up atillinoisreportcard.com
Where to look it up
Look up a specific school on the official portal: