Decatur Classical School has been #1 in the State of IL on ISAT scores for 16* of the past 17 years The one year, we were not ranked #1, we were ranked #2.

• Decatur was honored by the Chicago Board of Education for its achievements at a televised board meeting where we received a citation of recognition.
• Decatur students have consistantly triumphed at local, regional, state and national levels of competition in Math, Latin, Science, Music, Art and Problem Solving.
• Decatur students place in the highest levels in the Math, Essay and Oratory Competitions at the Academic Olympics.
• Decatur 5th and 6th graders participate in the Metropolitan History Fair and students frequently progresss to the State level.
• Students participate in the Spelling Bee and move to finals at the City level.
• Students participate in the National Geography Bee and achieve high honors at National levels.
• 100% of Decatur students consistently score above national norm in Math and in Reading.
• ISAT scores were the highest in the state in 16 of the last 17 years, with the Science and Writing ranking in the highest percentiles.
• Decatur has been consistently recognized for Exemplary Student Achievement.
• Decatur has been consistently recognized for Exemplary Student Attendance.
• Students have won first place in the Intermediate Division of the Young Author's Contest, the Hispanic Heritage Essay Contest, the Immigration Awareness Essay Contest, the Chicago Inner City Games Essay Contest and the Academic Olympics Essay and Oratory Competitions.
• Decatur routinely achieves high ranking scores at the annual Region 1 Science Fair.
• The Decatur Problem Solving Team formed in 1995, won the Illinois State competition the first time it competed, and has continued to win 1st place each subsequent year.

Faculty members reflect the incisive ideals of the school community with a well defined vision of the Decatur mandate. Honors received include:

Annenberg Challenge Grant

Oppenheimer Family Foundation Grants

Amoco Grant

Fel-Pro Foundation Grants

Marshall Field & Co. Fine Arts Grant and A.R.T. Grants

• Illinois State Board of Education Grant
• The Intermediate Science Teacher has been awarded the NASA Science Award for Excellence and interned at Cape Kennedy for two weeks.
• The primary department team leader was named the recipient of Illinois' Distinguished Teacher Award
• The Visual Arts Teacher was a finalist for the WBBM Channel 2 “Thanks To Teachers” Award
• Many of our teachers are CPS Drive Award Finalists (Delivering Results through Innovative and Visionary Education)
• Rochelle Lee Grants
• Chicago Foundation for Education Grants
• Decatur congratulates 2009 DRIVE Award WINNER, our very own Science Teacher- Vince Bauermeister!