An independent cybersecurity review across major Illinois school districts and local government reveals a wide range of results. Many organizations handle sensitive communications daily, yet show significant gaps in email authentication and transport security.
Using data from audit.emailmenow.com, we evaluated each domain across email, website, and network security — including SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MTA-STS/TLS, and security headers.
Cybersecurity Scores of Major Illinois School Districts
Overall compliance scores from audit.emailmenow.com, measured June 5, 2026. Re-run any domain at the link to verify.
| Rank | Organization | Domain | Overall Score | Performance Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naperville CUSD 203 | naperville203.org | 68% | Above Average |
| 2 | Rockford Public Schools | rps205.com | 59% | Average |
| 3 | Indian Prairie SD 204 | ipsd.org | 55% | Average |
| 4 | School District U-46 | u-46.org | 55% | Average |
| 5 | Chicago Public Schools | cps.edu | 44% | Below Average |
| 6 | Arlington Heights SD 25 | d25.org | 44% | Below Average |
What the Results Reveal
- Scores span 68% down to 44% — only 0 of 6 organizations reach a “Good” (70%+) posture.
- 5 of 6 scored below 60%, leaving staff, students, patients, or clients exposed to phishing and impersonation.
- Weak authentication undermines state cybersecurity training and coordinator requirements and increases ransomware and business email compromise risk.
See also — national audit
Recommendations
- Enforce DMARC, strict SPF, and DKIM; add MTA-STS and security headers.
- Document cybersecurity policies and staff training appropriate to your sector.
- Run periodic domain audits before incidents drive emergency remediation.
Check any organization’s posture. Run a free Instant Cybersecurity Audit at audit.emailmenow.com/?industry=local-government.
Contact EmailMeNow IT Consulting for help with email security hardening and compliance documentation.
Source & methodology: Overall compliance scores from the free scan at audit.emailmenow.com, measured June 5, 2026 — each domain checked for email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), transport security (MTA-STS/TLS), website security headers, and network security. Re-run any domain at the link to verify.