North Shore High Schools Excel in U.S. News Rankings for 2025-26

High schools in Chicago’s North Shore suburbs have secured notable positions in the recently released U.S. News & World Report rankings for the 2025-26 academic year. The report evaluated nearly 18,000 public high schools out of more than 24,000 reviewed across the United States. In total, 679 Illinois schools made the rankings, reflecting the region’s commitment to educational excellence.

Top Performers in Illinois

Among the high schools, Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire achieved the highest state ranking, coming in at number 8 in Illinois and number 203 nationally. This marked a slight decline from its previous position of 6th in the state. The school is part of the Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125.

Following closely is Vernon Hills High School, which ranked 11th in the state and 323rd nationally. This school, located in Community High School District 128, dropped from 8th place in Illinois last year.

Another notable mention is New Trier High School in Winnetka, which ranked 13th in Illinois and 371st nationally, down from 10th last year. The school is part of the New Trier Township High School District 203.

Other prominent schools include Lake Forest High School, which ranked 16th in Illinois and 410th nationally, and Deerfield High School, which ranked 18th in the state and 437th nationally, both showing slight declines from their previous rankings.

The rankings continue with Glenbrook South High School in Glenview, which improved to 19th in Illinois from 21st last year, landing at 466th nationally. Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook ranked 20th in the state, falling from 19th last year and ranking 475th nationally.

Rising Stars and Overall Performance

Additionally, Evanston Township High School made significant strides, ranking 28th in Illinois and 688th nationally, up from 39th last year. In contrast, Niles North High School in Skokie climbed to 61st in the state, improving from 74th last year, while Niles West High School, also in Skokie, rose to 71st in Illinois, up from 80th.

According to the U.S. News & World Report, high schools were assessed based on their performance in state-required tests, graduation rates, and their effectiveness in preparing students for college. The rankings highlighted schools where students demonstrated outcomes above expectations in subjects such as math, reading, and science, as well as those who achieved qualifying scores on college-level exams.

For detailed rankings, the full list is available on the U.S. News website, where it can be filtered by state. The recognition of these high schools underscores the sustained commitment to high academic standards in the North Shore area.