Public + private high schools, every state.
1,265
high schools (public + private)
1,031
public (539 districts)
234
private (NCES PSS)
149,058
public grade‑12 students (seniors, latest year)

IL public HS enrollment trend

Across the 574,519 students enrolled in IL brick-and-mortar public high schools in 2021, the state contracted -2.5% by 2024 (559,994 students, -14,525 net). That's the demographic tide every individual school is fighting or riding.

Charter share of public HS enrollment (latest year): 4.7% (26,396 of 559,994 students). Virtual / nonclassroom-based schools excluded.

🗺️ State context · NAEP 2024

How does IL compare nationally?

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only test given the same way to students in every state — making it the benchmark for state-to-state academic comparison. Below, this state's 8th-grade averages and where it sits on the 50-state distribution.

8th-grade math
274
+1 vs national avg (273)
8th-grade reading
263
+3 vs national avg (260)
national avg IL Math → Reading → 260 290 245 275

Each dot is one state's 2024 NAEP 8th-grade averages. IL is highlighted in gold. Dashed lines mark national averages — being upper-right of both = above national in both subjects. Source: NAEP State Snapshot Reports. NAEP doesn't produce per-school scores — this is state-level context.

Where the students are

Top 10 cities by public-HS enrollment

Chicago 152 HS 102,113
Aurora 5 HS 13,930
Plainfield 4 HS 8,347
Naperville 4 HS 8,108
Rockford 4 HS 8,065
Oswego 2 HS 5,628
Palatine 2 HS 5,224
Hoffman Estates 2 HS 4,818
Lincolnshire 1 HS 4,758
Elgin 2 HS 4,749

School-size distribution

Public, classroom-based · grades 9–12, latest year

Fastest-growing high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Art in Motion Charter School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
274→512 +86.9%
Perspectives Chtr - Leadership Ac
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
419→707 +68.7%
CICS - Ralph Ellison Campus
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
164→247 +50.6%
King College Prep High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
581→819 +41.0%
Horizon Sci Acad - Southwest Chtr
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
172→225 +30.8%
Intrinsic 2 Charter High School
Intrinsic 2 Charter High School
569→734 +29.0%
Sullivan High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
595→762 +28.1%
Dieterich Jr/Sr High School
Dieterich CUSD 30
150→191 +27.3%
World Language High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
316→389 +23.1%
Elmwood High School
Elmwood CUSD 322
170→208 +22.4%
Fastest-shrinking high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Urban Prep Chtr Acad Englewood HS
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
189→87 -54.0%
Urban Prep Chtr Bronzeville HS
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
322→148 -54.0%
Harlan Community Academy HS
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
470→220 -53.2%
EPIC Academy High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
497→255 -48.7%
North Lawndale Prep Chtr-Collins
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
470→276 -41.3%
Phillips Academy High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
723→467 -35.4%
Gage Park High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
589→392 -33.4%
Phoenix Military Academy HS
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
540→372 -31.1%
Bogan High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
1,024→716 -30.1%
Hirsch Metropolitan High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
252→183 -27.4%

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