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ENROLLMENT TRENDS · ILLINOIS

Illinois schools in decline

Illinois public schools with the largest enrollment loss from 2017-18 to 2024-25.

Schools in this report
50
steepest declines in state
Largest drop
-100%
Excel Academy of South Shore
Range
-100% to -63%
2017-18 → 2024-25
TOP 50 IL PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY ENROLLMENT LOSS · 2017-18 → 2024-25
SchoolCityDistrict2017-182024-25% change ↑
Excel Academy of South ShoreCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 2991450-100%
Nathaniel Hawthorne EC SchoolWHEELINGWheeling CCSD 212140-100%
Graham R Training CenterCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 2991170-100%
Outlook AcademySOUTH HOLLANDThornton Twp HSD 2052200-100%
Thurgood Marshall Learning CenterROCK ISLANDRock Island SD 411720-100%
Excel Academy - Southwest High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 2991100-100%
Illinois Park Elementary SchoolELGINSD U-464830-100%
Independence PreschoolBARTLETTSD U-462940-100%
Vaughn Occupational High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 2992270-100%
Northside Learning CenterCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 2992280-100%
Gordon Bush Alt School for EducationE SAINT LOUISEast St Louis SD 1891150-100%
Highland SchoolCHICAGO HEIGHTSChicago Heights SD 1702020-100%
Excel Academy - Englewood High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 2992330-100%
Cook Co Juvenile Det -York Alt High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 2992030-100%
Cook Co Juvenile-Jefferson Alt High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 2991820-100%
Southside Occupational Academy High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 2992710-100%
Regional Alop SchoolBLOOMINGTONDeWitt/Livingstn/Logan/McLean ROE2200-100%
Delta Learning CenterCRESTWOODCHSD 2181740-100%
SUCCESS AcademyAURORAKane ROE1010-100%
Knoxville Cntr Student SuccessPEORIAPeoria SD 1501250-100%
Summit Academy ALOPMACHESNEY PKBoone/Winnebago ROE1350-100%
Plainfield AcademyPLAINFIELDPlainfield SD 2021400-100%
Julia S Molloy Education CenterMORTON GROVENiles Twp District for Spec Educ1000-100%
Higgins Education CenterHOFFMAN ESTATESTownship HSD 2111040-100%
The Academy at Forest ViewARLINGTON HEIGHTSTownship HSD 2141430-100%
Child Service Center PreschoolAURORAAurora East USD 1311380-100%
Early Childhood Dev CntrAURORAAurora East USD 1312880-100%
Laremont SchoolGAGES LAKESpec Educ Dist Lake County/Sedol1690-100%
Hope D Wall TMH Child Dev CenterAURORAAurora West USD 1291630-100%
Paris Cooperative High SchoolPARISParis Cooperative High School5810-100%
John G Conyers Learning AcademyROLLING MEADOWSPalatine CCSD 153450-100%
Belleville Twp HS-Night/Alt SchoolBELLEVILLEBelleville Twp HSD 2011380-100%
B H R A Cooperative High SchoolBISMARCKB H R A Cooperative HS3420-100%
Developmental Learning Pgm DLPMIDLOTHIANEisenhower Cooperative1590-100%
Illinois School for the DeafJACKSONVILLEDept of Human Services1570-100%
DREAM AcademyELGINKane ROE1400-100%
Winston Campus ElementaryPALATINEPalatine CCSD 154892-99.6%
Early Learning CenterWEST CHICAGOWest Chicago ESD 331251-99.2%
Roosevelt CenterROCKFORDRockford SD 20543860-86.3%
Daniel Burnham Elementary SchoolCICEROCicero SD 99950185-80.5%
ASPIRA Charter - Haugan CampusCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29942583-80.5%
Rudolph Elementary Learning CenterCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29910022-78.0%
Acero Chtr - Octavio Paz Elementary SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29937098-73.5%
Douglass Academy High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29910129-71.3%
Williams Medical Prep High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29923174-68.0%
Urban Prep Chtr Academy Englewood High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29926087-66.5%
Raby High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 299381128-66.4%
Central Early ChildhoodGOLDENCentral CUSD 321075-64.3%
Crown Elementary Comm Acd Fine Arts CenterCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29925692-64.1%
Bronzeville Scholastic High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 299321119-62.9%
50 of 50 rows · Brick-and-mortar only. Virtual, online, and cyber schools excluded. Schools must have had ≥100 students in 2017-18 and be open in both school years.↓ Download schools-in-decline-by-state-il.csv

How this list was built

Every Illinois public school that reported total enrollment in both the NCES SY 2017-18 and SY 2024-25 vintages was scored on percent change in enrollment. Schools needed at least 100 students in 2017-18 to qualify, and must have been open in both school years. Schools that closed entirely are tracked in the separate school closures report. Virtual academies, cyber charters, and online schools are excluded so the list reflects neighborhood schools that families have moved away from rather than program-design changes.

Enrollment loss is not a verdict on a school. Schools shrink because catchment populations shrink, because new schools open nearby, because a magnet program elsewhere pulls transfers, because districts redraw boundaries, or because the building physically aged out. Use this list as a starting point for understanding which Illinois schools are operating with substantially fewer students than they were seven years ago.

Source data

NCES Common Core of Data, EDGE_ADMINDATA_PUBLICSCH MapServer, vintages 2017-18 and 2024-25. Refreshed yearly when NCES publishes a new admin-data release. School names, slugs, and current district affiliation come from the 2024-25 snapshot.

HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT

Anyone is welcome to cite or republish these findings. Please credit allk12.com and link back to this page so readers can verify the underlying data.

allk12 (2026). "Illinois schools in decline: enrollment loss 2017–2024." Retrieved from https://allk12.com/reports/in-decline/illinois
For interview requests or custom data pulls: [email protected]
DOWNLOAD THE DATA
↓ schools-in-decline-by-state-il.csv
RELATED
Illinois schools on the rise · All Illinois schools · Best Illinois schools · All states
DATA NOTICE

allk12 is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCES, the US Census Bureau, any state education agency or assessment program, or any other government agency. Source data is compiled from public records and provided "as is," without warranty of accuracy or completeness. You rely on it, and any analysis derived from it, at your own risk. See the full disclaimer.