The 2025 Illinois School Report Card has officially been released, providing an overview of key performance metrics from the 2024–2025 school year. These results serve as an important reflection of our growth and progress, as well as the impact of the initiatives outlined in our 2024–2029 Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan, officially adopted in August of 2025, set ambitious and measurable goals to guide improvement efforts. Now, one year into its implementation, I am pleased to share that Limestone Community High School is making strong and meaningful progress toward these goals.
Under Strategic Plan Goal 2: Academics and Achievement, we focused on improving attendance and reducing absenteeism. Our efforts have already produced measurable results in the first year of implementation:
Chronic Absenteeism Rate: Decreased from 43% to 32%, an 11% improvement as we move toward our goal of reducing this rate to below 20% by the end of the 2025-2026 school year;
Chronically Truant Rate: Improved from 28% to 23%, marking a 5% reduction toward our target of below 15% by the end of the 2025-2026 school year;
Teacher Attendance: Reduced the percentage of teachers with more than 10 absences from 27% to 18%, reflecting a 9% improvement toward our goal of less than 13% by the end of the 2025-2026 school year.
We also made significant gains in student achievement indicators during the first year of our Strategic Plan, reflecting the dedication of our students, staff, and families in supporting academic growth and success:
Graduation Rate: Increased from 77% to 80%, a 3% improvement toward our goal of 90% by the end of the 2026-2027 school year;
9th Grade On-Track Rate: Rose from 80% to 91.4%, an 11.4% gain, meeting and surpassing our goal of 90% by the end of the 2026-2027 school year;
Dropout Rate: Decreased from 6.2% to 1.7%, a 4.5% improvement since the plan’s creation;
Postsecondary Enrollment: Increased from 46.3% to 52.3%, a 6% improvement.
Equally important, we have seen dramatic improvement in school safety and culture (Strategic Plan Goals 1 and 3). We have held fast to the belief that acts of violence and aggression have no place at LCHS. When we created the plan, the 2023 Illinois Report Card data showed 83 reported incidents of physical violence. To clarify this state metric, an “incident” refers to any student discipline action where violence was cited, meaning a single altercation involving several students could result in multiple reported “incidents”. By the end of the 2024–2025 school year, that number dropped to 12, a 71-point improvement. This remarkable reduction demonstrates our collective success in fostering a positive, respectful, safe, and secure school environment.
We continue to enhance our safety efforts through the implementation of the Centegix CrisisAlert system, our Handle With Care partnership, Safe2HelpIL reporting, metal/weapons detection at school entry points, and our broader efforts to build a culture of safety and belonging for every student and staff member. These proactive initiatives have strengthened both prevention and response practices, ensuring that Limestone remains a place where learning can thrive in a safe environment.
As a result of these and other collective efforts, Limestone Community High School’s summative designation on the Illinois Report Card has moved from “Targeted” to “Commendable.” This recognition reflects strong overall performance, no underperforming student groups, and a high graduation rate. These results demonstrate our focused efforts and academic initiatives are making a meaningful difference in student engagement, consistency, and overall performance.
Beyond the report card data, there is plenty to celebrate at Limestone. Our Advanced Placement program continues to grow, with increasing numbers of students taking AP exams, many of them taking multiple exams, and achieving excellent results. Dual-credit opportunities continue to grow and our college remediation rates remain below the state average, showing that our college-bound graduates are leaving well-prepared for the rigor of college-level coursework. In addition, our career pathway programs continue to expand across areas such as engineering, medical careers, technology, skilled trades, and education, ensuring that each student has access to an individualized and meaningful postsecondary path aligned with their goals and interests.
Financially, Limestone remains strong and stable. Through careful fiscal management and responsible oversight, we have maintained an aggressive facilities improvement plan without increasing the tax rate for our residents. At the same time, we have preserved healthy fund balances necessary for the effective and prudent operation of the school district. Our faculty and staff have also shown tremendous commitment to student success, engaging in professional learning and collaborative work focused on academics and achievement during School Improvement and Institute Days.
Limestone’s success extends beyond academics. Our students continue to excel across a wide range of co-curricular programs, including marching band, robotics, competitive cheerleading, speech, golf, volleyball, soccer, madrigals, baseball, theater, and Esports - to name just a few. These opportunities showcase the well-rounded excellence that defines the Limestone experience, helping students build confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
Limestone Community High School is an exceptional district with extraordinary potential. Our students are seizing opportunities every day, our staff continue to inspire and support, and our alumni make us proud through their success in college, careers, and service. While we are proud of our progress, we remain deeply committed to continued improvement and to achieving/surpassing the goals set forth in our Strategic Plan.
Thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and partnership as we work together to ensure that every Limestone student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.
Sincerely,
Keith Brown, Superintendent
Limestone Community High School