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The Governor’s Blue Ribbon School Award program honors public and private K-12 schools with exemplary academic performance.

The U.S. Department of Education established the Blue Ribbon Schools program in 1982 to recognize exemplary public and nonpublic schools based on student achievement measures. Illinois will continue the recognition using the same criteria -- including assessment results, student subgroup performance, and accountability status.

In 2025, Illinois honored 28 schools with the Governor’s Blue Ribbon School recognition -- 15 public schools and 13 nonpublic schools. All honorees will be recognized at a special event at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield in the spring of 2026.

Application Process

The Governor, in conjunction with the Illinois State Board of Education, will annually review applications from schools that meet the established qualifying criteria. Additional information regarding the application process will be added to this page soon.

Please contact assessment@isbe.net​ if you have questions about the program.

Awardees

2025 Public School Honorees 

• Bourbonnais – Liberty Intermediate School, Bourbonnais SD 53
• Burr Ridge – Pleasantdale Middle School, Pleasantdale SD 107
• Chicago – Prescott Elementary School, Chicago Public Schools 299
• Clarendon Hills – Clarendon Hills Middle School, Hinsdale CCSD 181
• Clarendon Hills – Walker Elementary School, Hinsdale CCSD 181
• Frankfort - Lincoln-Way East High School, Lincoln Way CHSD 210
• Hickory Hills – Glen Oaks Elementary School, North Palos SD 117
• La ​Grange Highlands – Highlands Elementary School, LaGrange Highlands SD 106
• La Grange – Lyons Township High School, Lyons Township HSD 204
• Lake Zurich – Sarah Adams Elementary School, Lake Zurich CUSD 95
• Lisle – Kennedy Junior High School, Naperville CUSD 203
• Mascoutah – Mascoutah Middle School, Mascoutah CUD 19
• Northfield – Sunset Ridge Elementary School, Sunset Ridge SD 29
• Palatine – William Fremd High School, Township HSD 211
• Warren – Warren Elementary School, Warren CUSD 205

2025 Nonpublic School Honorees 

• Barrington – St. Anne Catholic School
  
• Chicago – Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy
• Chicago – St. Matthias School
• Chicago – St. Therese Chinese Catholic School
• Elmhurst – Timothy Christian preK-8
• Evanston – The Academy at St. Joan of Arc
• Lake Forest – Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart
• Northbrook – St. Norbert School
  
• Oak Park - Ascension Catholic School​
  
• Oak Park – St. Giles School
• West Chicago – Wheaton Academy
• Western Springs – St. John of the Cross Parish School
• Wilmette – Regina Dominican High School​​​​