12 District 7 Schools Recognized as Exemplary on Illinois School Report Card

EDWARDSVILLE - The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released the 2026 Illinois Report Card today, providing families and community members with information about student achievement and school performance during the 2025-26 school year. The report includes data on academic proficiency, student growth, graduation rate, attendance and other indicators of student success.

Twelve schools in Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 earned an Exemplary designation, the highest performance level under the state's new accountability system. These schools are Edwardsville High School, Liberty Middle School, Albert Cassens Elementary, Columbus Elementary, Woodland Elementary, Worden Elementary, Glen Carbon Elementary, Goshen Elementary, Hamel Elementary, Leclaire Elementary, Midway Elementary and Nelson Elementary.

Lincoln Middle School received an Approaching Exemplary designation, the second-highest level. As a result, all 13 District 7 schools earned one of the state's two highest performance designations.

Beginning with the 2026 Illinois Report Card, ISBE introduced a new accountability framework called the Profile of Performance. The framework evaluates schools using core indicators, including composite academic proficiency, student growth and graduation rate, as well as additional measures such as consistent attendance, English Learner progress and school climate.

The new framework evaluates schools using a broader set of performance indicators rather than limiting Exemplary designations to a fixed percentage of schools. Rather than reducing a school to a single score, the Profile of Performance brings together multiple measures to identify strengths, priorities and opportunities for improvement. The framework is designed to support continuous improvement in every school. Because the methodology has changed, this year's school performance levels should not be considered directly comparable to designations from previous years.

“Twelve of our schools earned an Exemplary designation, and all 13 schools achieved placement within the state’s top two performance categories. That is a remarkable accomplishment and one worth celebrating,” said Superintendent Dr. Allen Duncan Jr. “These results are a testament to the dedication of our teachers and staff, the hard work of our students, the support of our families, and our shared commitment to empowering every student to achieve personal success.”

Student Achievement and Success

While school designations offer one perspective on performance, the Illinois Report Card also provides a closer look at student outcomes. These measures help the district recognize progress, celebrate areas of strength and identify opportunities to support continued growth.

• Academic Achievement: District #7 students showed growth in all three academic areas:

• ELA Proficiency: 67.9%, up from 59.2% last year and exceeding the state average of 55.4%

• Math Proficiency: 53.1%, up from 51.1% last year and exceeding the state average of 39.2%

• Science Proficiency: 64.2%, up from 61.0% last year and exceeding the state average of 48.7%

• Graduation and Readiness: District 7's four-year graduation rate increased to 95.8% in 2026, up from 92.9% the previous year. Additionally, 96% of District 7 ninth-grade students are on track for graduation, exceeding the statewide average of 89.6%.

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• Consistent Attendance: During the 2025-26 school year, 85.4% of District 7 students attended at least 90% of school days, compared with 76.5% statewide. This represents an improvement from 84% the previous year.

“The progress reflected in this year’s Report Card is something our entire school community can be proud of,” Duncan said. “While we celebrate these achievements, we remain focused on our ultimate goal of helping every student perform at or above grade level and achieve personal success. The data provides valuable insight into where our efforts are making a difference and where additional support is needed. We will continue working together to build on our strengths and address challenges so that every student can thrive.”

View the district’s complete Illinois Report Card data at www.illinoisreportcard.com.

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