Approximately 36% of public high school students in Illinois are eligible for free lunch (2026).
The public high schools with the highest eligible for free lunch are listed below (where sufficient data available).
The public high school with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch in Illinois is Austin College And Career Academy High School, Bowen High School, and Air Force Academy High School, among others each with 100% of students eligible.
Eligible for Free Lunch Range: 100%
100%
Avg. Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Public High Schools Eligible For Free Lunch in Illinois (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Eligible for Free Lunch
Grades
Location
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Air Force Academy High School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
3630 S Wells St
Chicago, IL 60609
(773) 535-1590
Chicago, IL 60609
(773) 535-1590
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Austin College And Career Academy High School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
231 N Pine Ave
Chicago, IL 60644
(773) 534-0660
Chicago, IL 60644
(773) 534-0660
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Bogan High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 6-9%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
3939 W 79th St
Chicago, IL 60652
(773) 535-2180
Chicago, IL 60652
(773) 535-2180
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Bowen High School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
2710 E 89th St
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 535-7650
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 535-7650
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Bronzeville Scholastic High School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
4934 S Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 535-1150
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 535-1150
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Cairo Jr/sr High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 7-12
4201 Sycamore St
Cairo, IL 62914
(618) 734-2187
Cairo, IL 62914
(618) 734-2187
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Carver Military Academy High School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 6-9%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
13100 S Doty Ave
Riverdale, IL 60827
(773) 535-5250
Riverdale, IL 60827
(773) 535-5250
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Chicago Collegiate Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 6-9%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 5-12
11816 S Indiana Ave
Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 536-9098
Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 536-9098
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Chicago Military Academy High School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
3519 S Giles Ave
Chicago, IL 60653
(773) 534-9750
Chicago, IL 60653
(773) 534-9750
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Chicago Vocational Career Academy High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
2100 E 87th St
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 535-6100
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 535-6100
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Clark Academy Prep Magnet High School
Magnet School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
5101 W Harrison St
Chicago, IL 60644
(773) 534-6250
Chicago, IL 60644
(773) 534-6250
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Collins Academy Steam High School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
1313 S Sacramento Dr
Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 534-1840
Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 534-1840
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Crane Medical Prep High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
2245 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60612
(773) 534-7600
Chicago, IL 60612
(773) 534-7600
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Depue High School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
204 Pleasant
Depue, IL 61322
(815) 447-2121
Depue, IL 61322
(815) 447-2121
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Douglass Academy High School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
543 N Waller Ave
Chicago, IL 60644
(773) 534-6176
Chicago, IL 60644
(773) 534-6176
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Dunbar Vocational Career Academy High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
3000 S King Dr
Chicago, IL 60616
(773) 534-9000
Chicago, IL 60616
(773) 534-9000
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Earlville Jr/sr High School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
415 W Union St
Earlville, IL 60518
(815) 246-8361
Earlville, IL 60518
(815) 246-8361
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Edwin A Lee Elementary School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: K-12
1201 Bunn Ave
Springfield, IL 62703
(217) 585-5828
Springfield, IL 62703
(217) 585-5828
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Egyptian Sr High School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: 20-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
20023 Diswood Rd
Tamms, IL 62988
(618) 776-5251
Tamms, IL 62988
(618) 776-5251
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Epic Academy High School
Charter School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
8255 S Houston Ave
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 535-7930
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 535-7930
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Farragut Career Academy High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
2345 S Christiana Ave
Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 534-1300
Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 534-1300
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Foreman High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 6-9%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
3235 N Leclaire Ave
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 534-3400
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 534-3400
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Harlan Community Academy High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
9652 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 535-5400
Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 535-5400
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Hubbard High School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 9%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
6200 S Hamlin Ave
Chicago, IL 60629
(773) 535-2200
Chicago, IL 60629
(773) 535-2200
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Ihsca Charter High School
Charter School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
2520 S Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60608
(773) 890-8020
Chicago, IL 60608
(773) 890-8020
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Ijla Charter High School
Charter School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
2570 S Blue Island
Chicago, IL 60608
(773) 890-8060
Chicago, IL 60608
(773) 890-8060
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Il Youth Center - Pere Marquette
Alternative School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 8-12
17808 State Highway 100 W
Grafton, IL 62037
(618) 786-2371
Grafton, IL 62037
(618) 786-2371
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Iyc Chicago
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 6-12
136 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 633-5219
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 633-5219
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9
1801 S 55th Ave
Cicero, IL 60804
(708) 863-7900
Cicero, IL 60804
(708) 863-7900
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Julian High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
10330 S Elizabeth St
Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 535-5170
Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 535-5170
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Legal Prep Academy Charter High School
Charter School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
4319 W Washington Blvd
Chicago, IL 60624
(773) 922-7800
Chicago, IL 60624
(773) 922-7800
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Marine Leadership Academy - Ames
(Math: 7% | Reading: 7%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 7-12
1920 N Hamlin Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 534-4970
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 534-4970
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Marshall Metropolitan High School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 6-9%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
3250 W Adams St
Chicago, IL 60624
(773) 534-6455
Chicago, IL 60624
(773) 534-6455
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Orr Academy High School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
730 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL 60624
(773) 534-6500
Chicago, IL 60624
(773) 534-6500
Rank: #1 - 531. - 53.
Phillips Academy High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
244 E Pershing Rd
Chicago, IL 60653
(773) 535-1603
Chicago, IL 60653
(773) 535-1603
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Illinois average of public high schools students eligible for free lunch?
The Illinois average of public high schools students eligible for free lunch is 36%% for 2026.
What are the public high schools with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch in Illinois?
The best top-ranked public high schools in Illinois include Air Force Academy High School, Austin College And Career Academy High School and Bogan High School.
Recent Articles
AI Report Cards: Should Schools Evaluate AI Use?
Explore whether schools should assess student AI use, the benefits, risks, and what responsible AI report cards could look like in 2026.
The Parent’s Guide to School Cell Phone Bans in 2026
Learn how school cell phone bans work in 2026, why districts are adopting them, and what parents should expect.
Parental Involvement in Public Schools: 2026 Update
Explore the latest 2026 trends, research, and strategies shaping parental involvement in public schools and student success.
