Where do public high schools in the Rockford and Freeport area rank among schools in Illinois this year?
U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best High Schools” report for 2025 has arrived.
The report reviewed data from 24,000 high schools across the United States with 679 schools from Illinois making the ranked list of nearly 18,000. Schools were assessed on six factors including performance on state assessments, graduation rates and how well they prepare students for college.
Hononegah was ranked the 1,047th best high school in the United States, the 44th best high school in Illinois and the top school in the Rockford and Freeport areas.
Here’s how U.S. News & World Report ranked schools across the region.
1. Hononegah High School
Illinois rank: 44
Enrollment: 1,865
College readiness: 38.3
Graduation rate: 90%
2. Pecatonica High School
Illinois rank: 125
Enrollment: 318
College readiness: 25.9
Graduation rate: 81%
3. Stillman Valley High School
Illinois rank: 144
Enrollment: 472
College readiness: 26.6
Graduation rate: 90%
4. Harlem High School
Illinois rank: 178
Enrollment: 1,947
College readiness: 24.5
Graduation rate: 80%
5. Forreston Jr/Sr High School
Illinois rank: 183
Enrollment: 233
College readiness: 24.2
Graduation rate: 97%
6. Belvidere North High School
Illinois rank: 204
Enrollment: 1,408
College readiness: 23.5
Graduation rate: 86%
7. Auburn High School
Illinois rank: 212
Enrollment: 1,985
College readiness: 30.3
Graduation rate: 60%
8. South Beloit Senior High School
Illinois rank: 224
Enrollment: 260
College readiness: 19.7
Graduation rate: 90%
9. Guilford High School
Illinois rank: 236
Enrollment: 2,161
College readiness: 23.9
Graduation rate: 77%
10. Byron High School
Illinois rank: 243
Enrollment: 468
College readiness: 13.4
Graduation rate: 90%
11. Oregon High School
Illinois rank: 273
Enrollment: 436
College readiness: 24.8
Graduation rate: 98%
12. Lena-Winslow High School
Illinois rank: 309
Enrollment: 241
College readiness: N/A
Graduation rate: 92%
13. Pearl City High School
Illinois rank: 341
Enrollment: 132
College readiness: N/A
Graduation rate: 97%
14. Rochelle Township High School
Illinois rank: 361
Enrollment: 856
College readiness: 19.5
Graduation rate: 85%
15. Winnebago High School
Illinois rank: 362
Enrollment: 406
College readiness: N/A
Graduation rate: 86%
16. Belvidere High School
Illinois rank: 377
Enrollment: 1,161
College readiness: 13.6
Graduation rate: 78%
17. Orangeville High School
Illinois rank: 401
Enrollment: 96
College readiness: N/A
Graduation rate: 100%
18. Dakota Junior Senior High School
Illinois rank: 404
Enrollment: 237
College readiness: N/A
Graduation rate: 91%
19. Rockford East High School
Illinois rank: 405
Enrollment: 1,708
College readiness: 10.2
Graduation rate: 68%
20. Freeport High School
Illinois rank: 419
Enrollment: 1,154
College readiness: 7.7
Graduation rate: 71%
Durand High School
Illinois rank: 423-679
Enrollment: 174
College readiness: N/A
Graduation rate: 84%
Jefferson High School
Illinois rank: 423-679
Enrollment: 2,170
College readiness: 17.9
Graduation rate: 73%
North Boone High School
Illinois rank: 423-679
Enrollment: 493
College readiness: N/A
Graduation rate: 93%
Polo Community High School
Illinois rank: 423-679
Enrollment: 189
College readiness: N/A
Graduation rate: 88%
Legacy Academy of Excellence Charter School and Roosevelt Community Education Center were not ranked.
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: How Rockford, Freeport area schools rank in latest public high school report by US News
Reporting by Jeff Kolkey, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
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