For the 20th consecutive year, Community Consolidated School District 181 has earned the Bright Red Apple Award for academic excellence from SchoolSearch. In 2013, only 78 districts in the state earned the award, which is based on data contained in the 2012 Illinois School Report Card. All school districts in Illinois are considered for the award; award criteria are based on objective factors. Categories used for the analysis include: academic performance, student/teacher ratio, operating expenditure per pupil, educational levels of teachers and average teacher salary.
In its award letter, SchoolSearch stated, "It is a pleasure honoring school districts that strive to provide their students an outstanding educational environment."
