What are the best public high schools in St. Clair County? These 5 top a national list

Meredith Howard
·3 min read

Two public high schools in St. Clair County received “A” grades in a 2023 Best Public High Schools ranking from Niche, a site offering data on schools and colleges.

Niche creates ratings based on reviews and data. Sources include the U.S. Department of Education, Common Core Data, Civil Rights Data Collection and others.

The Best Public High Schools ranking uses the following methodology:

  • Academics grade: Based on state assessments, SAT and ACT scores and survey responses from students and parents (Weight: 60% of overall grade)

  • The culture and diversity grade is based on “racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents,” Niche says. (Weight: 12.5% of overall grade)

  • The teachers grade is based on teacher salary, educator absenteeism, state test results and surveys from students and parents (Weight: 10% of overall grade)

  • The sports grade considers the number of sports, participation and survey results (Weight: 2.5% of overall grade)

  • Other categories making up the overall rating include the club and activities grade (2.5%), resources and facilities grade (2.5%) and parent/student surveys on overall experience (10%).

Here’s how five St. Clair County public high schools performed in the ranking.

O’Fallon Township High School

Grades: A overall, A- academics, A teachers, A- diversity, A- sports

O’Fallon Township High School has 2,511 students, according to Niche. Math proficiency is at 53%, according to state test scores, and reading proficiency is at 52%.

The 2021-22 school year Illinois Report Card said 60% of students were proficient in a science assessment, and the school’s graduation rate is 92%. Retention is at 95%, and O’Fallon High School has a 17% chronic absenteeism rate, according to the report card.

Mascoutah High School

Grades: A overall, A- academics, B+ teachers, A- diversity, B+ sports

Mascoutah High School is home to 1,158 students, with math and reading proficiency rates of 50%.

The school has an 88% graduation rate, according to the Illinois Report Card, and a retention rate of 93%. Chronic absenteeism is at 15%.

Belleville High School West

Grades: B+ overall, B academics, A- teachers, A diversity, A sports

More than 2,250 students attend Belleville West, Niche reports. The institution’s math proficiency rate is 27%, and its reading proficiency rate is 29%.

Belleville West has a 93% graduation rate, according to the Illinois Report Card. The retention rate is 89%, and the chronic absenteeism rate is 30%.

Belleville High School East

Grades: B+ overall, B academics, B+ teachers, A diversity, B- sports

Belleville East has 2,472 students, with a math proficiency rate of 33% and a reading proficiency rate of 34%, according to Niche.

The school has a 90% graduation rate, the Illinois Report Card says, and a 92% retention rate. The chronic absenteeism rate is 24%.

Freeburg Community High School

Grades: B overall, B+ academics, A- teachers, C diversity, B+ sports

Freeburg Community High School has 672 students, according to Niche, with a 52% proficiency rate for math and reading.

The high school has a 96% graduation rate, an 88% retention rate and a chronic absenteeism rate of 10%, according to the Illinois Report Card.