University High School

Summary:

University High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Normal, Illinois, part of the highly-ranked ISU Laboratory Schools district. This exceptional school has consistently been ranked among the top high schools in Illinois, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for its outstanding academic performance, high graduation rates, and low dropout and chronic absenteeism levels.

University High School students significantly outperform the state average in standardized tests, with 65.6% proficient or better in SAT Mathematics and 72.4% in SAT English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 26.1% and 31.1%, respectively. The school's science assessment results are also exceptional, with 88.9% of students proficient or better, well above the state average of 53.2%. University High School maintains an exceptionally high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 95.2% to 100% over the past five years, and a very low dropout rate of 0.0% to 1.0%.

Compared to nearby schools, Normal Community High School and Bloomington High School, University High School significantly outperforms them in academic metrics, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism. The nearby YBMC Charter School, however, struggles significantly, with much lower test scores, graduation rates, and high chronic absenteeism. University High School's ability to support the academic success of diverse student subgroups, including minority and underrepresented groups, is a notable strength.

Detail:

Public 9-12

Isu Campus Box 5300
Normal, IL 61790-5300

(309) 438-8994

District: ISU Laboratory Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
11^th of 697 Illinois High Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 14.2

Number of students: 620

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.3%

Asian:

9.7%

Hispanic:

7.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 1.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details University High School ranks better than 98.4% of high schools in Illinois. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 99.79. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at University High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

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Teachers

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

University High School:

SchoolDigger ranks University High School 11^th of 697 Illinois public high schools. (See University High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

White students:

ISU Laboratory Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks ISU Laboratory Schools 44^th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for University High School

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Rank History for all students at University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2021	99.53	13^th	688	98.1%
2022	99.06	4^th	699	99.4%
2023	97.80	10^th	699	98.6%
2024	99.79	11^th	697	98.4%

See the entire list of Illinois High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	39.96	95^th	163	41.7%
2024	94.59	14^th	182	92.3%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Female students at University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2021	98.07	21^st	639	96.7%
2022	97.53	9^th	658	98.6%
2023	93.90	25^th	656	96.2%
2024	99.25	13^th	664	98.0%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2021	99.81	8^th	653	98.8%
2022	99.54	4^th	664	99.4%
2023	99.22	6^th	668	99.1%
2024	99.88	9^th	668	98.7%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2021	94.48	6^th	135	95.6%
2022	95.99	2^nd	141	98.6%
2023	84.86	14^th	134	89.6%
2024	96.22	3^rd	137	97.8%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	99.92	7^th	299	97.7%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	99.85	5^th	333	98.5%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2021	98.59	14^th	553	97.5%
2022	95.55	15^th	560	97.3%
2023	95.28	19^th	557	96.6%
2024	98.71	14^th	554	97.5%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for University High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	542	32	33	10	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	617
1989	541	20	31	10	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	602
1990	514	22	34	13	2	n/a	n/a	0	585
1991	500	19	38	16	2	n/a	n/a	0	575
1992	490	16	40	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	558
1993	486	24	48	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	570
1994	494	34	49	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	592
1995	469	47	50	16	2	n/a	n/a	0	584
1996	469	47	50	16	2	n/a	n/a	0	584
1997	475	44	46	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	579
1998	518	34	41	10	5	n/a	n/a	0	608
1999	518	29	44	13	5	n/a	n/a	0	609
2000	527	27	36	18	4	n/a	n/a	0	612
2001	525	40	33	13	6	n/a	n/a	0	617
2002	527	56	35	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	634
2003	527	56	35	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	634
2004	500	63	37	15	4	n/a	n/a	0	619
2005	508	56	39	20	3	n/a	n/a	0	626
2006	497	57	47	14	4	n/a	n/a	3	622
2007	493	53	44	15	4	n/a	n/a	5	614
2008	490	51	45	13	3	n/a	n/a	14	616
2009	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	0
2010	473	80	33	24	1	n/a	n/a	0	611
2011	478	77	27	24	1	5	1	0	613
2012	473	72	32	29	0	1	3	0	610
2013	463	74	33	35	0	2	9	0	616
2014	469	65	24	41	0	1	14	0	614
2015	465	50	23	42	0	2	25	0	607
2016	462	46	29	42	0	2	29	0	610
2017	455	41	35	39	0	1	40	0	611
2018	452	39	40	38	0	3	40	0	612
2019	460	33	47	39	0	2	34	0	615
2020	467	31	42	38	1	1	34	0	614
2021	452	29	48	42	1	1	34	0	607
2022	447	29	53	39	1	0	36	0	605
2023	442	30	60	47	1	0	40	0	620

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at University High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	617	47.8	12.9	n/a
1989	602	47.5	12.6	n/a
1990	585	49.2	11.8	n/a
1991	575	47.9	12.0	n/a
1992	558	45.9	12.1	n/a
1993	570	47.2	12.1	n/a
1994	592	47.2	12.5	n/a
1995	584	43.4	13.5	n/a
1996	584	43.4	13.5	n/a
1997	579	44.7	13.0	n/a
1998	608	46.1	13.2	n/a
1999	609	47.8	12.7	n/a
2000	612	48.5	12.6	n/a
2001	617	47.3	13.0	n/a
2002	634	47.8	13.3	n/a
2003	634	47.8	13.3	n/a
2004	619	42.9	14.4	n/a
2005	626	43.5	14.4	n/a
2006	622	42.2	14.7	n/a
2007	614	49.0	12.5	n/a
2008	616	41.0	15.0	n/a
2009	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2010	611	40.7	14.9	n/a
2011	613	38.7	15.8	n/a
2012	610	43.0	14.1	3.3
2013	616	42.0	14.6	2.6
2014	614	41.0	14.9	2
2015	607	41.0	14.8	2.5
2016	610	41.0	14.8	3.1
2017	611	40.0	15.2	2.1
2018	612	45.0	13.6	2.3
2019	615	43.0	14.3	1.8
2020	614	44.3	13.8	2.1
2021	607	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	605	43.1	14.0	1.8
2023	620	43.4	14.2	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio University High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	617	47.8	12.9	n/a
1989	602	47.5	12.6	n/a
1990	585	49.2	11.8	n/a
1991	575	47.9	12.0	n/a
1992	558	45.9	12.1	n/a
1993	570	47.2	12.1	n/a
1994	592	47.2	12.5	n/a
1995	584	43.4	13.5	n/a
1996	584	43.4	13.5	n/a
1997	579	44.7	13.0	n/a
1998	608	46.1	13.2	n/a
1999	609	47.8	12.7	n/a
2000	612	48.5	12.6	n/a
2001	617	47.3	13.0	n/a
2002	634	47.8	13.3	n/a
2003	634	47.8	13.3	n/a
2004	619	42.9	14.4	n/a
2005	626	43.5	14.4	n/a
2006	622	42.2	14.7	n/a
2007	614	49.0	12.5	n/a
2008	616	41.0	15.0	n/a
2009	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2010	611	40.7	14.9	n/a
2011	613	38.7	15.8	n/a
2012	610	43.0	14.1	3.3
2013	616	42.0	14.6	2.6
2014	614	41.0	14.9	2
2015	607	41.0	14.8	2.5
2016	610	41.0	14.8	3.1
2017	611	40.0	15.2	2.1
2018	612	45.0	13.6	2.3
2019	615	43.0	14.3	1.8
2020	614	44.3	13.8	2.1
2021	607	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	605	43.1	14.0	1.8
2023	620	43.4	14.2	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Immunization Rates

University High School

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Year	Polio	Measles	Mumps	Rubella	Hepatitis B	Varicella	DTP	Meningococcal
2015	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	99.8%	99.8%	100.0%
2016	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	99.8%	100.0%		23.8%
2017	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	99.7%	100.0%	24.9%
2018	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	99.8%	100.0%	24.7%
2019	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	49.3%
2021	99.0%	99.7%	99.7%	99.7%	98.5%	98.5%	99.8%	99.5%
2022	98.2%	99.7%	99.7%	99.7%	98.3%	98.7%	99.7%	98.8%
2023	98.2%	99.5%	99.5%	99.5%	98.5%	98.2%	99.5%	98.5%
2024	99.4%	99.5%	99.5%	99.5%	99.5%	99.5%	99.5%	99.7%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on University High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	615	620	0.8%
African American	33	30	9.1%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	47	60	27.7%
Hispanic	39	47	20.5%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	460	442	3.9%
Two or More Races	34	40	17.6%

Schools Near University High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISA Science (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	SAT English Language Arts (2024)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% DTP (2024)	% Meningococcal (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISA Science All Grades	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	% Polio All Grades	% Measles All Grades	% Mumps All Grades	% Rubella All Grades	% Hepatitis B All Grades	% Varicella All Grades	% DTP All Grades	% Meningococcal All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
University High School	Public	9-12	Isu Campus Box 5300	Normal	61790	McLean County	ISU Laboratory Schools	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 438-8994	620	43	14.2		442 (71.3%)	30 (4.8%)	47 (7.6%)	60 (9.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.5%)	99.8	11^th of 697 public high schools	98.4%		97.8	10^th of 699 public high schools	98.6%	1	88.9	65.6	72.4	99.4	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.5	99.7
McClean County Detention Center	Public	6-12	903 N Main St	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 888-5550	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Eugene Field School	Public	12	412 E Cypress St	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 557-4440	4	7	.5		2 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (25.0%)								(n/a)				97.7	97.7	97.7	97.7	100.0	95.5	100.0	97.7	$51,792	$8,390	$43,402
Normal Community West High School	Public	9-12	501 N Parkside Rd	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	(309) 557-4402	1,628	104	15.6		1,111 (68.2%)	244 (15.0%)	152 (9.3%)	30 (1.8%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	89 (5.5%)	54.3	269^th of 697 public high schools	61.4%		67.9	180^th of 699 public high schools	74.2%	89	53.3	18.1	29.0	98.9	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.5	99.0	99.2	97.5	$13,422	$529	$12,893
Bloomington Area Career Center	Public	11-12	1202 E Locust St	Bloomington	61701	McLean County	DeWitt/Livingstn/Logan/McLean ROE	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 829-8671	0	9	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Bloomington High School	Public	9-12	1202 E Locust St	Bloomington	61701	McLean County	Bloomington School District 87	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(309) 828-5201	1,503	102	14.7	56.2%	698 (46.4%)	356 (23.7%)	258 (17.2%)	29 (1.9%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	158 (10.5%)	41.2	384^th of 697 public high schools	44.9%		46.6	370^th of 699 public high schools	47.1%	14	55.1	12.1	23.9	96.7	97.1	97.1	97.1	96.6	96.4	96.8	96.5	$17,149	$814	$16,335
YBMC Charter School	Public, Charter	11-12	360 Wylie Dr Ste 305	Normal	61761	McLean County	McLean County Unified School District 5	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	(309) 454-3898	28	3	9.3		14 (50.0%)	7 (25.0%)	3 (10.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.6%)	1 (3.6%)	2 (7.1%)	15.5	593^rd of 697 public high schools	14.9%		7.7	687^th of 699 public high schools	1.7%	94		4.8	4.8									$10,547	$00	$10,547
Safe School Program	Public	7-12	408 W Washington St	Bloomington	61701	McLean County	DeWitt/Livingstn/Logan/McLean ROE	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 888-5120	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Regional Alop School	Public	7-12	201 E Grove St Ste 300	Bloomington	61701	McLean County	DeWitt/Livingstn/Logan/McLean ROE	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 888-5120	0	12	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Central Illinois Bridge Academy	Public	7-12	2000 Jacobssen Dr	Normal	61761	McLean County	DeWitt/Livingstn/Logan/McLean ROE	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(309) 888-5120	0	3	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about University High School

What district is University High School in?

ISU Laboratory Schools

How many students attend University High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 620 students attended University High School.

Is University High School a good school?

Yes! University High School is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 11^th of 697 Illinois high schools.

What is the racial makeup of University High School?

Students at University High School are 71% White, 10% Asian, 8% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 5% African American.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.