D128 Is 3rd Best School District In U.S.: Rankings

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — In a ranking of nearly 12,000 school districts across the country, Community High School District 128 came in at number three on the list, according to Niche, a school search platform. In its 2021 Best School rankings released Wednesday, District 128 received an overall grade of A+.

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Here is a breakdown of how the district, which includes Vernon Hills and Libertyville high schools, received that grade:

• Academics A+
• Diversity B-
• Teachers A+
• College Prep A+
• Clubs & Activities A+
• Health & Safety A+
• Administration A+
• Sports A+
• Food A+
• Resources & Facilities A+

Other Chicagoland school districts that ranked high are Adlai E. Stevenson High School District No. 125 (No. 1), New Trier Township High School District No. 203 (No. 4) and Glenbrook High School District 225 came (No.5).

Niche.com also ranked District 128 the safest school district in the U.S., the third best place to teach in Illinois, tenth in the U.S. for school district with the best teachers, and the fifth best school district for athletes in Illinois.

With updated data for 94,710 public schools, 24,099 private schools and 11,822 school districts nationwide, Niche's rankings provide "an in-depth analysis of the quality of a given school, allowing parents and students to find the best fit for their individual needs with ease," according to a press release.

Niche states that unlike traditional rankings, which rely almost exclusively on metrics like test scores and academic performance, its rankings provide a more personal view of a school. They combine user input—comments from current students, alumni, and parents—with quantitative data points to produce a well-rounded analysis. In addition to academics, the factors considered include teachers, resources and facilities, extracurricular activity opportunities, and student/faculty/curriculum diversity.

The full rankings can be found on Niche.com.