As has been the norm, Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 performed very well on the recent Illinois Report Card for schools in the state.
“District 181 is proud of its nine outstanding schools,” said Karen O’Connor, District 181’s director of communications. “All of our schools across the district are scoring in the top academic tier of student achievement in the state.
O’Connor said the Report Card reflects the district’s performance data from the 2024–2025 school year.
“This is just one component in a larger system of data that provides us with information on how District 181 schools are progressing on a variety of educational goals,” she said.
Elm, Madison, Prospect, The Lane, and Walker schools were designated as “Exemplary,” while Clarendon Hills Middle School, Hinsdale Middle School, Monroe and Oak schools were in the “Commendable” category.
To be designated as an Exemplary, schools must have a performance in the top 10% of schools statewide, no underperforming student groups. Commendable schools have a performance that is not in the top 10% of schools statewide and also have no underperforming student groups.
None of the District 181 schools fell into the other categories used by the ISBE: •Targeted: Schools, where at least one student group is performing at or below the level of the “all students” group in the lowest-performing 5% of schools. These schools receive targeted support and enter a four-year improvement cycle.
• Comprehensive: Schools, which are in the lowest-performing 5% of Title I-eligible schools in Illinois, or any high school with a graduation rate of 67% or lower. These schools receive comprehensive support and funding through a four-year improvement cycle.
• Intensive, which is a designation for schools that are in the lowest-performing category. These schools also enter a four-year cycle of continuous improvement and receive additional support and funding.
“Our summative designations of Exemplary and Commendable provide us with opportunities to celebrate our strengths and reflect on our goals so every student can reach their fullest potential,” O’Connor said.
She said that according to the state’s targets, the district is one of the highest-performing elementary districts, exceeding all of the state’s academic targets for student proficiency on state-mandated assessments.
During the 2024-2025 school year 88.6% of District 181 students were proficient in English Language Arts (the state average was 52.4%); 83.9% were proficient in Math (the state average was 38.4%; and 78.4% were proficient in Science, above the state average of 44.6%.
“These indicators, designations, and associated index scores confirm D181 schools’ status as among the state’s top elementary and middle schools,” O’Connor said.
She said It’s essential to recognize that attendance is a factor in the ISBE rating system, which can negatively impact a school’s score, even if a student is performing exceptionally well academically.
The ISBE is in the midst of a redesign of the accountability system.
“Designations and indicators will change, starting next year, and we will continue to respond to the shifting expectations to best meet the needs of our learners and community,” O’Connor said.
“As with any rating system, we remain committed to reviewing the information and looking for opportunities to enhance our efforts.”
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Chuck Fieldman
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