Statewide information contained in the school report cards released over the last 6 years in Illinois are summarized, with a focus on trends for selected indicators. Some vignettes have been included to reflect the more human aspects of the data presented in the graphs. Between 1986 and 1991 student enrollment, after declining, increased in 1991, as did the enrollment of minority students and limited-English-proficient students. The attendance rate and mobility rate have changed very little in this period. Overall, there has been a shift toward academic programs among high school seniors. While reading achievement scores and American College Testing Program scores have been relatively stable over the period, scores in mathematics and language arts have risen. The graduation rate has declined slightly. The number of operating public school districts declined in the period, to 950. Pupil-teacher ratios declined slightly, but teacher salaries rose by 28% over the period. It is reasonable to conclude that the report cards issued by Illinois since 1986 have been an important means of acknowledging accountability to the people of Illinois. Twenty-one figures illustrate state educational trends. Two appendixes provide the Better Schools Accountability Law and nine tables of statistical data. (SLD)