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ENROLLMENT TRENDS · ILLINOIS

Illinois schools on the rise

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

Schools in this report
50
top growth in state
Top growth
+280%
Cherry Valley Elementary School
Range
+54% to +280%
2017-18 → 2024-25
TOP 50 IL PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY ENROLLMENT GROWTH · 2017-18 → 2024-25
SchoolCityDistrict2017-182024-25% change ↓
Cherry Valley Elementary SchoolROCKFORDRockford SD 205178676280%
Centralia Jr High SchoolCENTRALIACentralia SD 135150559273%
Middletown Prairie ElementaryMAHOMETMahomet-Seymour CUSD 3283805185%
Horace Mann ELCROCK ISLANDRock Island SD 41140387176%
KIPP Chicago Chrtrs Bloom CampusCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 299352921162%
Colonel George Iles Elem SchQUINCYQuincy SD 172211535154%
Wirth/Parks Middle SchoolCAHOKIACahokia CUSD 187239571139%
KIPP One AcademyCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 299418996138%
Washington SchoolMONTICELLOMonticello CUSD 25232543134%
Lincoln-Douglas Elementary SchoolQUINCYQuincy SD 172252588133%
Rich Township High SchoolOLYMPIA FIELDSRich Twp HSD 2271,0452,433133%
Dr. Abby Fox Rooney Elem SchQUINCYQuincy SD 172219500128%
International Prep AcademyCHAMPAIGNChampaign CUSD 4302681126%
Constance Lane Elementary SchoolROCKFORDRockford SD 205283623120%
Franklin Grove Elem SchoolDECATURDecatur SD 61213461116%
Noble St Chtr - MansuetoCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 2995251,106111%
Moving Everest Charter SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 299362755109%
Prairieview Elementary SchoolBARTLETTSD U-46336681103%
Clara Peterson Elem SchoolPAXTONPaxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 1028956495.2%
Perspectives Chtr - Leadership AcCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29943683892.2%
KIPP Academy Chicago CampusCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29934764987.0%
LEARN 10 Charter SchoolNORTH CHICAGONorth Chicago SD 18715929786.8%
Aptakisic Junior High SchoolBUFFALO GROVEAptakisic-Tripp CCSD 10250794085.4%
Brigham ElementaryBLOOMINGTONMcLean County USD 516931385.2%
Pana Elem SchoolPANAPana CUSD 827750783.0%
Great Lakes Academy Charter ESCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29929453883.0%
Beard Elem SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29917932782.7%
Dr. James Mitchem Erly Chldhd CtrROMEOVILLEValley View CUSD 365U28251582.6%
Liberty Elem SchoolDANVILLEDanville CCSD 11821137778.7%
District 99 Early Childhood CtrCICEROCicero SD 9913423273.1%
Indian Trail Elem SchoolHIGHLAND PARKNorth Shore SD 11227747270.4%
South Prairie Elementary SchoolSYCAMORESycamore CUSD 42726845670.1%
Central Elementary SchoolCAMP POINTCentral CUSD 313422769.4%
Galena Elementary and Middle SchGALENAGalena USD 12034157668.9%
Litchfield Elem SchoolLITCHFIELDLitchfield CUSD 1221435565.9%
Meridian High SchoolMOUNDSMeridian CUSD 10112520664.8%
Thomas S Baldwin Elem SchQUINCYQuincy SD 17234356464.4%
Montessori Academy for PeaceDECATURDecatur SD 6135758664.1%
Walter Henri Dyett HS for ArtsCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29932853864.0%
Oliver Julian Kendall Elem SchoolNAPERVILLEIndian Prairie CUSD 20434957263.9%
Manley Career Academy High SchoolCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29911819363.6%
Indian HillPALOS HEIGHTSPalos Heights SD 12811418360.5%
Richards Career Academy HSCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29921734860.4%
Laraway SchoolJOLIETLaraway CCSD 70C27143359.8%
Steele SchoolGALESBURGGalesburg CUSD 20534154258.9%
United Jr./Sr. High SchoolMONMOUTHUnited CUSD 30428244557.8%
Richland Elem SchoolCREST HILLRichland GSD 88A49477456.7%
Parsons Elementary SchoolDECATURDecatur SD 6132350556.3%
Brentano Elem Math & Science AcadCHICAGOChicago Public Schools Dist 29949576354.1%
Gemini Middle SchoolNILESEast Maine SD 637231,11153.7%
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-on-the-rise-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, which filters out small specialty programs whose percentage swings are dominated by noise. Brick-and-mortar only: virtual academies, cyber charters, and online schools are excluded by name pattern and by NCES is_virtual flag. Those schools dominate raw growth numbers but rarely represent a school families are choosing for their neighborhood.

Enrollment growth is a leading indicator, not a quality measure. Schools grow because catchment areas shift, because districts consolidate, because a magnet program opens, or because reputation pulls in transfers. A school on this list is one that more Illinoisfamilies are sending their kids to in 2024-25 than in 2017-18, for whatever reason. Pair this with the school's page on allk12 for test scores, demographics, and discussion.

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