Proviso, OPRF Make Chicago Magazine's 2016 Best Schools List

Proviso Math and Science Academy and Oak Park-River Forest High School both made Chicago Magazine’s annual list of best suburban high schools in the Chicago area. The rankings were calculated by the research nonprofit RTI International, using data and methodology provided by Chicago.

Forest Park’s Proviso notched the No. 1 spot among the Top 20 suburban public high schools in Cook County, while OPRF grabbed the 13th spot.

High Schools were ranked according to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, which included spending per pupil; the percentage of first-year students meeting or exceeding state benchmarks for the ninth grade, as well as the percentage of students meeting or exceeding state standards on the PARCC exam.

Also taken into consideration were NWEA/MAP math and reading growth; ACT attainment of students who scored 21 or higher on the ACT test and ACT growth; a 5 essentials survey of teachers and students; and attendance and graduation rates.

Figures were adjusted in some categories for suburban school’s percentage of low-income students, Chicago said.

The No. 1 schools Chicago’s collar counties (out of five) included:

• Lisle High School (DuPage)
• Geneva Community High School (Kane)
• Libertyville High School (Lake)
• Woodstock High School (McHenry)
• Lincolnway East High School (Will)

The No. 1 public high school in Chicago was Walter Payton College Preparatory High SChool (out of 15) on the Chicago’s Near North Side. The top Chicago charter high school is Noble–Butler College Preparatory High School (out of 5) in the Pullman neighborhood.

Public elementary schools in Chicago and the suburbs were also ranked. To see what schools made the list, visit Chicago Magazine’s 2016 Best High Schools.

Oak Park-River Forest High School (left) and Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy (Photos Patch/Forest Park Review)