Illinois public schools recorded a historic graduation rate of 89.8% for the class of 2026, even as three in five students failed to meet grade-level expectations in math, according to data released Oct. 30 by the Illinois State Board of Education. The annual report card for the 2025-2026 school year shows modest gains in reading proficiency but reveals troubling gaps between diplomas awarded and academic preparedness across the state's 1.82 million public school students.
Only 40% of third- through eighth-graders achieved proficiency in math on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, while 39% of 11th graders met standards on the ACT. Reading performance fared marginally better: 56% of students in grades three through eight tested proficient on the IAR, and 55% of juniors reached proficiency on the ACT. Reading proficiency climbed three percentage points from the prior school year, the first measurable improvement since Illinois rolled out a comprehensive literacy plan two years ago with evidence-based instruction guidance. Enrollment fell by more than 29,000 students last year, marking the 11th consecutive annual decline and the second-steepest drop in 15 years. Chronic absenteeism affected nearly one in four students, meaning they missed at least 10% of the school year. While that rate improved from a 2022 peak of 29.8%, it remains six percentage points higher than the 17.5% recorded in 2019, the final full year before pandemic closures.
The report highlights a stark disconnect between graduation credentials and academic readiness. For the record-breaking class of 2026, only 52% met grade-level reading standards and 39% met math standards on their junior-year ACT, even after the state lowered proficiency thresholds starting in 2025. According to the Illinois Policy Institute, lowering the bar meant parents couldn't compare 2025 proficiency rates to earlier years, and many students labeled "proficient" were still struggling. The report notes that research links students who fall behind in reading, especially in early elementary grades, to much higher dropout rates than their peers.
Illinois should pursue reforms that ensure students are genuinely prepared for success beyond high school rather than celebrate higher graduation rates achieved under reduced standards, the report states. Recommended steps include requiring schools to adopt evidence-based literacy practices, identifying and intervening early when students fall behind, and guaranteeing parents receive transparent information about their children's academic progress. The report emphasizes that improving literacy is a crucial first step with ripple effects throughout students' academic careers, and high absenteeism serves as a warning sign that puts students at elevated risk of poor outcomes including dropping out and lower achievement. A diploma doesn't necessarily signal academic readiness when little more than half the graduating class meets reading and math proficiency on standardized tests.