Homewood-Flossmoor High School got a commendable rating of 85.43% out of 100% overall from the Illinois State Board of Education for student scores on the Illinois Report Card.

The ranking is based on data for the 2024-25 school year. The ISBE information was reviewed by the District 233 Planning Committee at its Nov. 11 meeting. 

Lisa Dallacqua, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said the report shows how H-F compares to schools across the state on a wide range of educational goals. The measurements follow federal guidelines in place since 2018 that are meant to track overall student proficiency and growth from year to year. 

The state gives a designation of commendable when a school has no underperforming student groups and the graduation rate is above 67%. Dallacqua said H-F has no underperforming subgroups, and its graduation rate is 95.3%. The incoming freshman class is listed at 92.6% on track.

Dallacqua said the report provides “a level of accountability on proficiency and growth.” The results are assessed in two categories:

• Demographics looks at scores by race and ethnic makeup.
• Programs looks at students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged, English learners and former English learners.

H-F is inching closer to an exemplary 90-100 score awarded to the top 10% of Illinois schools. H-F’s graduation rate moves it into a high category because graduation rates are 50% of the weighted score.

A school’s academic numbers make up 25% of the weighted score and are tied to proficiency of the junior class on the ACT exam in math, English/language arts and science. In ELA, the state average was an 18 and H-F students scored at 17.8. In math, the state average was 19, and H-F students scored 18.

Dallacqua pointed out that juniors in the high proficiency range score 27 in ELA and 28 in math. She said those scores bode well for students who will be applying to colleges.

The remaining 25% of the weighted score is a climate survey and the percentage of freshmen on track. The H-F stats also show a 33% chronic absenteeism rate reflects a student being absent 10% or more in the 180-day school year, regardless of whether they were excused or unexcused, and a 18% chronic truancy rate reflecting nine or more unexcused days. H-F reported 922 discipline actions for 452 students.

The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is not just about how the school is doing overall, but also how the subgroups are doing. 

“If you have a subgroup performing below the 5% threshold, that will bring (the school’s ranking) down,” she explained. Dallacqua noted that H-F does not have a subgroup below 5%, but student improvements in each subgroup will also be important for H-F’s ranking.

As Illinois puts an emphasis on college and career readiness, Dallacqua said H-F initiatives at developing new courses and curriculum changes will have an impact on the ranking. A second new assessment will be on fine arts. For H-F, these two additions will be “huge, (they) should be helping on the 2026 ranking.”

The report card also reports 693 students listed as concentrating in Career and Technical Education (CTE); 1,198 students have enrolled in CTE classes.

The district has 2,657 students and spends approximately $25,000 per pupil. The majority of the budget is from property taxes. District 233 receives $35 million in state support through the Evidence Based Funding Formula. It also has been receiving Property Tax Relief Grants from the state to help reduce the tax burden for District 233 property owners. 

With a teaching staff of 184, H-F has maintained an average class size of 21 students.

The district has 29 administrators in addition to a support staff of counselors, nurses, social workers and school psychologists.