For the 2024-25 school year, Rockford Public Schools' graduation rate increased a few points to 77% -- closer to the state average.
The number of Freshmen on-track to graduate also went up in the state’s third-largest district.
It's according to the latest edition of the Illinois Report Card — the state's interactive education dataset.
RPS superintendent Ehren Jarret says they still have a lot of work to do -- especially when it comes to chronic absenteeism.
“We're still north of 40% of students who are missing 17 or more school days, or portions of days that add up to that. That is not okay," said the superintendent, who is leaving the district at the end of this school year. "We saw significant gains with our elementary schools, but our high schools and middle schools were still relatively flat.”
Math and literacy scores appeared to go way up, but it’s complicated. The state lowered proficiency standards to get them closer to the national average. So, scores went up a little, but most of the growth is from the standard shifting.
The number of “out of field” teachers -- those teaching a grade level or subject that they’re not licensed to teach -- went up considerably in Rockford and statewide.
