Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker posted on X that K-12 education across the state is reaching new heights and now ranks fifth best in the nation. The post included video of the governor speaking at a recent education event. Online users reacted with widespread skepticism, with many questioning the ranking and citing proficiency rates and other data that they said did not support the claim.
The video shows Pritzker speaking at a podium during an event labeled “Celebrating Excellence,” with officials from the Illinois State Board of Education standing behind him. In the clip, he says, “The results are in. U.S. News and World Report ranks K-12 education in Illinois the fifth best in the country.”
He also notes that CNBC ranked the state seventh, adding, “They’re not quite accurate; I think we’re fifth, but we’ll take it anyway.” He highlights that “last year only one state outpaced Illinois in eighth grade reading scores, and only four states outpaced Illinois in eighth grade math scores,” and states that Illinois now has “our highest high school graduation rate in the history of the state of Illinois,” including record rates among Black and Latino students. He concludes that “everybody across the board, every demography, we are seeing new heights.”
According to the post and state materials, the fifth-place ranking refers to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Pre-K-12 education category. The governor’s office has also cited high school graduation rates at a state record of 89%.
Separate state assessment data for 2025 showed about 53% of students proficient in English language arts and 39% in math on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness after the state adjusted its proficiency cut scores. It is not clear from the footage how the rankings incorporate those proficiency figures or other factors.
Responses to Gov. Pritzker’s Education Ranking Post
Several commenters expressed skepticism about the ranking and pointed to other data. One wrote, “No one should believe this.”
Another said, “STOP THE MISDIRECTION. According to the National Association of Educational Progress (NAEP), Illinois public schools don’t even rank in the top ten nationally.”
A third noted, “Don’t you hate it when the facts don’t support the narrative?? In Illinois, approximately 53% of grades 3–8 (IAR) and 52% of 11th graders (ACT) met reading/English proficiency, while 39% of grades 3–8 and 39% of 11th graders met math standards, following state score ADJUSTED.”
Others focused on standards and testing changes. One commenter wrote, “Stop allowing the CTU. To lower standards, sir.”
Another replied, “Illinois schools are lowering testing standards to make more students appear proficient, despite concerns that this does not reflect actual student performance.”
Some commenters and officials highlighted the rankings and results as positive. One wrote, “Congratulations! May the Land of Lincoln State have a bright and peaceful future!”
Official statements from the governor’s office have framed the rankings and record graduation rates as signs of progress tied to sustained investment in schools. Illinois State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders also shared the post, aligning with the administration’s view of the results.
The exchange adds another moment to the ongoing discussion over how Illinois education rankings are measured and what the underlying student outcomes show.
