District 225 ranked first in the nation among high school districts, Superintendent Dr. RJ Gravel announced. 

The district was named the 2026 Best School District in America by Niche, using public data from the U.S Department of Education and reviews from students and families. Niche.com provides rankings, profiles, and reviews of schools and school districts, according to their website. Ratings are broken down according to different categories like state test scores and graduation rates, according to the Niche site. Niche graded South academics, teachers, clubs and activities, college prep, and administration an A+, and graded district diversity a B+.

District 225 outranked 10,394 districts nationwide, Niche said. District 225 has also been ranked first out of 600 districts in Illinois and second in the nation for districts with the best quality of teachers, Niche reported.

“This prestigious ranking is a direct reflection of the incredible dedication and expertise of our faculty and staff as well as the persistent hard work and achievements of our students,” Gravel posted on a district Instagram account. “It is also a powerful testament to the support of our families and the community.”

South will still build on this honor to ensure students have a successful high school experience, Gravel said.

“We will continue to build on this success, staying focused on providing an exceptional, challenging, and supportive educational experience for every student,” Gravel said.