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Urbana School District 116


At a glance
786thof 811 Illinois districts▼ 19
Better than 3% of Illinois districts
1101 E University Ave
Urbana, IL 61802-2009
·(217) 384-3636·All Illinois district rankings →
Statewide performance 2017–2025
2025: better than 3.1% of districts
10
Schools
4,197
Students
Top rankedLeal Elementary School1220th of 2,056 Illinois elementary schools
Biggest riser
Thomas Paine Elementary School up 3 spots statewide this year
Smallest classes
Thomas Paine Elementary School 9.2 students per teacher
SchoolDigger ratings
2★
1★
0★
4 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)
Summary:

The Urbana School District 116 in Illinois serves students from preschool through 12th grade across 8 schools, including 6 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school. The district faces significant challenges, with low academic performance and high rates of chronic absenteeism across many of its schools.

Among the standout schools in the district, Leal Elementary School consistently outperforms the district and state averages on standardized tests in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. In contrast, several other elementary schools, such as Dr. Preston L. Williams Jr. Elementary, M.L. King Jr. Elementary, and Thomas Paine Elementary, struggle with significantly lower proficiency rates. The district's Urbana High School has shown some improvement in recent years, moving from a 1-star to a 2-star rating, but its overall performance remains below state averages.

A key concern across the district is the consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, which range from 25.4% to 25.4% and are significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the district's schools serve a high percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 57.33% to 87.62%. This correlation between poverty and lower academic achievement suggests the need for targeted interventions and support to address the underlying factors contributing to these disparities.

Ranking:
Map legend
E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private





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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





Diagnostics