Illinois students are graduating at a record rate — 89.8 percent, the highest ever

Illinois has set a new record for its four-year high school graduation rate: 89.8 percent for the class of 2026, continuing a long climb. The state's annual report card, released October 30, also showed proficiency gains in English, maths and science, and chronic absenteeism falling for the fourth consecutive year. In Peoria, the graduation rate reached 83 percent — the highest in at least a decade, up from 68.5 percent in 2016 — alongside better attendance and teacher retention rising from 79 percent in 2020 to 90 percent.

SDG 4 · Quality education