Orion High School made Adequate Yearly Progress on the Prairie State Achievement Examination, a state test that is part of the No Child Left Behind Act. In 2009, 66% of students tested met or exceeded state standards. The school's average high school graduation rate between 2000 and 2009 was 94%. Orion High School ranked third of 16 in Prairie State Achievement Examination scores compared to all public high schools in the surrounding Henry County, Rock Island County, and Mercer County, Illinois communities over a 3-year period from 2007–2009. Only Annawan High School and Geneseo High School scored better. Orion High School is 1 of 7 high schools in this group to make Adequate Yearly Progress as part of the No Child Left Behind Act. As of 2016, the district's teaching faculty contains 67 teachers, of whom 37% hold an advanced degree. The average district class size is 20.0, with a student to faculty ratio of 16:1. The instructional expenditure per student is $5,547. Orion High School enrollment decreased from 376 to 342 in the period of 2000 to 2009. The Orion Community Unit School District 223 was selected as one of 61 school districts in Illinois to be named a "Bright A+" Award Recipient for 2006. The award was based on those school districts with the highest academic performance in the state of Illinois, and designates the district as among the top 5% of all Illinois.
In 2007, representatives from Orion Community Unit School District 223 met with representatives of neighboring Cambridge and Sherrard, Illinois, school districts on separate occasions to discuss merger possibilities and consolidation study reports. Based on the report's recommendations, if merger were to occur with Cambridge, the existing Orion High School building would be used as a high school for the new district. If merger were to occur with Sherrard, Orion High School students would attend the current Sherrard Junior and Senior High School building, and the current Orion High School building would become the middle school for Orion and Sherrard. A survey of students, parents, and teachers in all districts was also conducted with regard to Orion and Sherrard. Overall, 63% of both districts' respondents were against consolidation. Surveys were more favorable of an Orion–Cambridge consolidation than an Orion–Sherrard consolidation. Frequently quoted oppositions to the Orion–Sherrard consolidation included Orion's debt, the already large size of the Sherrard district, and the incompatibility of school cultures due to a historic interconference athletics rivalry. In 2009, district superintendent David Deets commented that the consolidation topic remained on the district's radar because of the economic challenges districts face. No formal conversations have been scheduled with any of the region's districts regarding consolidation. Before reorganization talks can even begin, feasibility studies must be completed, and then a committee of 10 would have to be formed to prepare a consolidation proposal. A public vote is required to authorize any proposal deemed acceptable by the districts involved. Deets acknowledged the process is long, there is much information to process, and that there are many other issues on the radar. While Orion's population and economy remain relatively stable due to a proximity to the Quad Citiesno comment was made regarding the community's efforts to address new housing starts, business improvement districts, marketing campaigns, or other indicators that address the district's overall population, or the ratio to school age population.
