Illinois Education: A Comprehensive Ranking Analysis
Illinois' education system is a multifaceted landscape, subject to various evaluations and rankings. These rankings consider a range of factors, from student achievement and school funding to social mobility and the overall quality of life within the state. Understanding these factors provides a comprehensive view of the strengths and weaknesses of education in Illinois.
State Rankings and Quality of Life
WalletHub, a personal finance company, conducted an analysis comparing all 50 states to determine the best states to live in, considering factors crucial for a good life. Illinois ranked near the top in quality of life and safety. While Massachusetts secured the top position, Illinois' neighboring states had varying rankings: Indiana (27), Wisconsin (8), Missouri (31), and Iowa (12). These rankings incorporate individual categories such as homeownership rates and housing costs.
Social Mobility and the American Dream
The American Dream, the idea that anyone can flourish through hard work, faces challenges in Illinois. According to a report by the Archbridge Institute, social mobility is more difficult to achieve in Illinois than in any other Midwestern state. The state ranks in the bottom half for factors associated with economic mobility and income equality, such as regulation, tax policy, business dynamism, and institutions/rule of law. Despite these challenges, the report offers guidance on improving social mobility through state and local policy.
Key Factors Affecting Social Mobility
Regulation: Illinois ranked 32nd in regulation, considering occupational licensing, state-level regulation stringency, minimum wage laws, and residential land-use regulations. The state has over 279,000 instances of restrictive language in its administrative code, surpassing 44 other states and the District of Columbia.
Tax Policy: Illinois ranked 46th in tax policy, measured by corporate, individual income, sales, property, and unemployment insurance taxes.
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Business Dynamism: Illinois ranked 39th in business dynamism, considering core startup rate, share of workers at firms less than five years old, growth in total firms, patents per 1,000 people, housing permits per 1,000 people, reallocation rate, labor force participation rate, and migration rate. While Illinois' 2023 labor force participation rate was above the national rate, it remains lower than its peak in 2000.
Institutions and Rule of Law: Illinois ranked 48th in institutions and rule of law, factoring in total fines and fees collected by local governments, perception of corruption, and use of civil asset forfeiture. The state ranked 49th in predatory state action.
Judicial System Quality: Illinois ranked 37th in judicial system quality, evaluating access to justice and the quality of the state liability system. Access to justice measured factors such as access to an attorney, self-representation, language access, disability access, and fines/fees needed to access the court system. Despite this, Illinois ranks eighth best, according to National Center for Access to Justice’s Justice Index.
Education Quality and Freedom
One of Illinois' strengths lies in education quality and freedom, ranking 12th nationally. This metric considers National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test scores for fourth and eighth grade, university quality, community college graduation rates, and school freedom, including the availability of tax-credit scholarship programs.
Social Capital
Illinois ranked 30th in social capital, defined as a measure of the networks of relationships held by people in society, including community activities, neighbors, and charity.
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Educational Attainment
According to 2023 census data, 49% of adults in Illinois held an associate’s, bachelor’s, or professional degree, up from 41% in 2010. Despite this progress, postsecondary enrollment has declined in Illinois, suggesting potential challenges for future graduation rates. Enrollment peaked in 2010 at just over 1 million students but fell 28% to about 774,000 by 2023, primarily due to affordability.
K-12 Education Funding
In 2017, Illinois lawmakers overhauled the state’s K-12 education funding system, enacting the Evidence-Based Funding formula (EBF). This formula allocates additional funds to address understaffing and improve educational outcomes. As a result, the state now allocates $2.8 billion more to the EBF each year than when it was first enacted. In 2019, state per-pupil spending for K-12 education averaged $7,727, ranking 23rd in the nation.
Student Achievement
Illinois students typically show more than five years of academic progress between third and eighth grade, often performing in the top 10 states. However, disruptions related to the coronavirus pandemic have had an impact on student learning.
Illinois Public School System
In 2022, Illinois had 1,925,415 students enrolled in 3,977 schools across 853 school districts. There were 130,467 teachers, with a student-teacher ratio of approximately 15:1, compared to the national average of 16:1.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading through the NAEP.
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Graduation Rates and ACT/SAT Scores
In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT.
School Funding and Expenditures
According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. Illinois spent approximately 13.3 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013, with the primary source of school system revenue being local funding, at $16.7 billion. Public education expenditures in Illinois totaled approximately $28.2 billion in fiscal year 2012.
Teacher Salaries
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year.
Illinois State Board of Education
The Illinois State Board of Education sets educational policies for public and private schools, grades kindergarten through 12th, as well as vocational schools. The board consists of nine members appointed by the governor and approved by the Illinois State Senate.
Education Week's Quality Counts
Education Week's Quality Counts system graded each state on various elements of education performance. In 2020, Illinois finished 11th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with an overall score of 80.0 out of 100 points and a grade of B-minus. The state's highest score was in "standards, assessments and accountability" at 91.0, or an A- average, while the lowest score was in "the teaching profession" at 67.9, or a D+ average.
School Choice and Tax Credits
The Foundation reviewed Illinois' tax credits for educational expenses, allowing up to $500 in tax credits for dependent students' educational expenses, whether they are attending private or public school or are being home schooled.
School District Types and Governance
Illinois has eight different types of school districts, each governed by locally elected school boards. Illinois school boards generally consist of seven members elected to serve terms of four years.
School Board Elections
Illinois school board candidates must be at least 18 years old, have lived in the school district for at least one year, and be registered voters.
Summative Designations for Schools
Beginning in 2018, each Illinois school receives a Summative Designation, a measure of progress in academic performance and student success. These designations include Exemplary, Commendable, Targeted, and Comprehensive.
The Importance of Education
A quality education is essential for future success, providing access to greater career opportunities, higher earning potential, and broader social networks.
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