Best Public Schools in Highland, IL

The city of Highland, Illinois is home to 5 schools serving students from elementary through high school, operated by the Highland CUSD 5 district. The standout performer in the district is Grantfork Upper Elementary School, a small school with just 51 students that consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state. This school boasts exceptional test scores, with 89.1% of students proficient or better in ELA and 84.4% in Math, far exceeding district and state averages.

At the high school level, Highland High School also performs well above state averages, with 65.8% of 11th graders proficient or better in ELA, 52.4% in Math, and 59.4% in Science. The school also maintains a high 4-year graduation rate of 89%. Across the district, students demonstrate strong academic achievement, with test scores consistently surpassing state benchmarks.

However, the district faces some challenges, including a high chronic absenteeism rate of 25.4% across all schools. Additionally, there is a range in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 21.57% at Grantfork Upper Elementary to 34.77% at Highland Primary School, suggesting a diverse socioeconomic makeup that may require targeted interventions to ensure the needs of all students are met.