Lake County Gazette

Mundelein High School has been recognized for the seventh consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s best high schools. The ranking is based on factors such as college readiness, curriculum breadth, math and reading proficiency, performance, and graduation rates.

District 120 Superintendent Corey Tafoya commented on the recognition: “This is a tremendous accomplishment for both our teaching staff and our students. It’s not a surprise to anyone here that we’re being recognized again. But it’s a testament to the people in our building that we continue to improve year after year.”

The school’s graduation rate increased from the mid- to high-80s in previous years to 95 percent in 2024 and 94 percent in 2025. Over the past five years, there has also been a significant improvement in advanced placement (AP) testing participation and results at Mundelein High School. From 2021 to 2025, the number of students taking AP exams rose by 42 percent, while those earning passing scores increased from 56 percent in 2021 to 85 percent in 2025.

For its achievements with AP testing, Mundelein High School received Bronze recognition on the College Board’s 2023 AP School Honor Roll and Silver Distinction in 2024.

Recent academic trends show continued progress. Among students who earned honors in English 1 last year, 90 percent enrolled in Honors English 2; of those, 82 percent earned an A or B grade. Additionally, among students who received an A grade in honors biology last year, 90 percent are now enrolled in honors chemistry or AP chemistry.

The number of students earning dual credit hours at the College of Lake County has also grown significantly over five years—from 75 students to 325 in 2025.

Mundelein Consolidated High School District 120 represents Lake County and includes Mundelein High School (source). According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, District 120 employs about 130 teachers with an average salary of $91,610 before pension contributions; women make up just over half of this group. There have been no teachers with more than ten absences per school year (source).

The district serves a diverse student population: approximately 41 percent White, two percent Black, forty-five percent Hispanic, and nearly six percent Asian (source). In fiscal year 2020, District 120 spent $29,799 per student for a total expenditure of $61.7 million (source).