Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 Celebrates Several Exemplary Status Designations on State Report Card

With the official release of the 2026 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Report Card, Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 is thrilled to share how its 100% All-In commitment is paying off and to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our students, staff, and school community. By setting ambitious and intentional goals across the entire district, D123 has cultivated a culture where high expectations lead to extraordinary outcomes.

Thanks to the hard work, dedication, and partnership of the entire District 123 community, the focus on goal setting has delivered eight Exemplary designations across the district over the past four years. With this year’s designations, D123 is excited to announce that each eligible District 123 school has now earned an "Exemplary" status at least once during this period, a milestone that truly reflects our commitment to continuous growth and excellence. Here is a look at this year's official school designations for 2026:

Exemplary Designation: Covington, Hannum, Hometown, and Kolmar Elementary Schools

Approaching Exemplary Designation: Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School (OLHMS) and Sward Elementary School

Beyond these school designations, District 123 students showed strong growth and improvement across key academic and school climate metrics throughout the 2025-2026 school year:

• Academic Growth: District 123 achieved growth in the 56th percentile statewide in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, meaning D123 students grew more on average than the majority of their peers across Illinois.
• Rising Proficiency: Reading proficiency increased to 70.6% (a 4.7% gain), while Math proficiency reached 41.2% (a 3.4% gain). These represent the highest proficiency rates throughout D123 in Reading and Math since the IAR was introduced in 2019.
• Strong Attendance: The District's average daily attendance rate climbed to 94.3%, its highest level since before the pandemic, while chronic absenteeism dropped to 14.3%, marking the lowest rate on record since 2020.
• Positive School Culture: D123 reduced district disciplinary incidents by 10% overall while maintaining strong operational stability, highlighted by a balanced budget and an 89.5% teacher retention rate.
  

"While state report cards and test metrics capture an important snapshot of our progress, they do not define the full heart and promise of District 123. What makes our schools special is the daily dedication of our educators, the support of our families, and the curiosity and resilience of our students." - Superintendent Dr. Paul Enderle.