In December 2005, the Illinois State Board of Education established rules for the Illinois Honor Roll, formalizing an awards program that had been piloted in 2003 and 2004. Changes in the state assessment in 2006 appear to have affected results, so comparisons to previous years are necessarily limited.
Overall two important comparisons with previous years testify to the efforts of students, faculty, and parents in these school communities. First, a remarkable number of schools (306) are being recognized for the third or fourth consecutive year. Secondly, 92% of schools have continued to improve their test scores. The progress of these “no excuses” schools exemplifies the possibilities for improvement in Illinois schools at every level. Good old-fashioned hard work by students, teachers, and parents in high poverty schools helped them win this award.
Total Numbers
Total Number of Awards = 1607
Total Number of Schools = 1461
Total Number of Districts = 508
In 2006, a total of 3890 schools were tested by the Illinois State Board of Education. The number of awards represents 37.5% of all schools tested.
School Types
Charter Schools = 12
Chicago Children's Choir
Elementary Charter |
Cahokia |
Passages Elementary
Charter School |
Chicago |
| Chicago International Charter |
Chicago |
Perspectives Charter
High School |
Chicago |
| Fort Bowman Academy |
Cahokia |
Shabazz International
Charter Elementary |
Chicago |
Kipp Ascend Charter
Elementary School |
Chicago |
Springfield Ball
Charter
School |
Springfield |
| Learn Elementary Charter School |
Chicago |
University of Chicago Elementary Charter School |
Chicago |
| Locke Elementary Charter Academy |
Chicago |
Uno Network Elementary Charter School |
Chicago |
Geographic Distribution of 1461 Award-winning Schools (1461 or 37.5% of 3890 Illinois schools tested in 2006)
Percentage of Award-Winning Schools - By Geographic Region
Test Scores
and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
To determine eligibility for awards, the Illinois Honor Roll uses composite scores of subjects that count for determining Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP); in 2006 the subjects were reading and mathematics.
All schools winning the Spotlight Schools and Academic Excellence Awards made AYP in 2006. Although making AYP was not a criterion for the Academic Improvement Awards, 78% of those schools did make AYP.
Repeat Awards - Sustaining Exemplary Performance
52 Spotlight Schools earned this distinction for a third time this year. A total of 15 schools are receiving a fourth Spotlight School award.
142 Academic Improvement Award schools also won the award last year and 3 schools won it for a third time.
50 Academic Excellence schools also won this award last year. Of the 2005 winners, 44 schools sustained their long-term high achievement and won a third award in 2006.
Test Score Trends - Scores are Good and Getting Better
- 362 of 447 Spotlight Schools (81%) showed increases in test scores over 2005.
- At all 306 Academic Improvement Award schools, the number of students meeting or exceeding standards increased by at least 7.5% over one year or 15% over two years.
- More than 80 Academic Improvement Award schools raised scores by more than 30 percentage points over two years.
- 82 Academic Excellence elementary schools showed increases in scores over 2005, even though they started at a baseline above 90% of students meeting or exceeding standards.
Double Awards - 145 Schools earned both Spotlight Schools and Academic Improvement Awards
One school won both the Spotlight Schools award and the Academic Excellence Award, Jones College Preparatory High School in Chicago.
145 schools won both the Spotlight Schools award and the Academic Improvement Award.
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