Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) records show that 49 percent of Kankakee High School's 2015 graduating class enrolled in college within 12 months of graduation.
The 2015 state average for students in public schools was 70 percent.
For KHS, its college enrollment rate marks a decline since 2014, when 57.3 percent of its graduates chose post-secondary education.
Among high schools in Kankakee, the class of 2015 college readiness rates at Herscher High School (53.6 percent), Bradley-Bourbonnais C High School (52.3 percent), Manteno High School (50.9 percent), Grant Park High School (42.1 percent) and Momence High School (28.7 percent) were all higher than at KHS. The data, collected by the National Student Clearinghouse, includes two and four year colleges.
Enrollment at KHS in 2015 was 1,175. 273 (23.23 percent) were seniors.
Also according to ISBE, 22.1 percent of KHS seniors were "college ready" in 2015, versus an average of 46 percent statewide.
All students who score a 21 on the ACT qualify as "college ready."
KHS students did better on reading (18.4 percent) and English (36.5 percent) and worse on science (12.7) and math (16.0).
Only 7.4 percent of KHS students were college ready in all four subjects, according to ISBE.