Rockford elementary school ranks 3rd in Illinois by U.S. News & World Report

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — In a state dominated by high-performing schools in Chicago and its suburbs, a Rockford elementary school has quietly surged to the top: Thurgood Marshall Elementary has been ranked third-best in Illinois, according to a new analysis by U.S. News & World Report.

Thurgood Marshall Elementary, at 4704 N. Rockton Avenue, ranked just beneath Edison Elementary Regional Gifted Center and Skinner North Elementary Schools, in Chicago.

According to the report’s authors, “For each state, schools were assessed on their shares of students who were proficient or above proficient in their mathematics and reading/language arts state assessments. Half of the formula assessed the scores themselves and the other half incorporated the test results in the context of socioeconomic demographics. In other words, the top-ranked schools are all high-achieving and have succeeded at educating all their students.”

According to the report, the student population at Thurgood Marshall is 378, with 92% scoring at or above the proficiency level for math, and 82% scoring at or above for reading.

Compared to the rest of the ranked schools in the Rockford Public School District, Thurgood Marshall’s students tested much higher than the district’s average math proficiency, which stands at 12%, below even the Illinois state average of 26%.

In reading, Thurgood Marshall tested higher than the RPS 205 average of 17% proficiency, and the state average of 29%.

The school also ranked as the #1 elementary school in Rockford.

US News & World Report’s best Illinois elementary schools for 2026

1. Edison Elementary Regional Gifted Center in Chicago
2. Skinner North Elementary School in Chicago
3. Thurgood Marshall Elementary in Rockford
4. The Lane Elementary School in Hinsdale
5. Decatur Classical Elementary School in Chicago
6. Meadow Glens Elementary School in Naperville
7. Elm Elementary School in Burr Ridge
8. Westmoor Elementary School in Northbrook
9. Prospect Elementary School in Clarendon Hills
10. Highlands Elementary School in Naperville

Other Rockford elementary schools ranked low on the list, with Haskell Elementary School achieving the highest rank of #1014.

The worst-ranked Rockford school was Washington Elementary, which showed a 5% math proficiency and a 2% reading proficiency with 485 students and a 16:1 student to teacher ratio.