Illinois Provides Data On Schools Via Award-Winning Report Card

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Dusty Rhodes

Published October 29, 2014 at 4:33 PM CDT

The website gives data by school, by district and for the state as a whole.

When you think of a report card, you think of a basic form that provides average test scores and little more. But the new online report cards for each Illinois public school offer more granular data, such as teacher retention and principal turnover rates, the percentage of high school freshmen deemed "on track" for graduation, and even survey results for how safe students feel at school.

The Illinois State Board of Education will release online the latest data on school achievement later this week. The news varies by community, but the website itself has already earned an A+. Mary Fergus, spokesperson for the board, said the new format earned Illinois recognition from the national Education Commission of the States.

"The Illinois report card was ranked number one for not only content but for transparency and for that accessiblity that's so important."

Data Quality Campaign, a nonprofit education advocacy organization. The report cards can help families decide which school is best for their child, as well as guide administrators trying to improve their schools.

The information will be avilable at illinoisreportcard.com.