C−
DeKalb Community Unit School District 428
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 7 towns
Serves DeKalb, DeKalb, Cortland, Cortland, Malta, Malta and Afton, and parts of Sycamore, Pierce, South Grove and Milan.
Students
6,771
Schools
13
Spent per student
$21,601
IL $21,567
Students per teacher
14:1
Free or reduced lunch
67%
Debt
$110.4M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about DeKalb Community Unit School District 428
- School Grade C−: better than 21% of Illinois districts
- Math proficiency 15 pts below the state
- Reading / language arts 15 pts below the state
- 14 students per teacher
- Debt of $110.4M, about $16,298 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Coleta.
PK–22 elementary schoolsSterling Community Unit District 5
3–52 elementary schoolsSterling Community Unit District 5
6–8Challand Middle SchoolSterling Community Unit District 5
9–12Sterling High SchoolSterling Community Unit District 5
Test scores vs. IL
2020–21Math proficiency11%
State average 25.8%
Reading / language arts16%
State average 30.7%
Graduation rate (4-year)84%
State average 87.3%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$21,601 per student · 0% above IL
Spending
Classroom instruction 55%Support & administration 42%Other 3%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 37%State 54%Federal 9%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
6,618’20
6,851’21
6,840’22
6,719’23
6,771’24
About steady.
Students
Hispanic 32%White 31%Black 28%Two or more races 7%Asian 1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%
Schools in the district
13 public schools.
Founders Elementary School
C−565 students15:1
Cortland Elementary School
C−523 students13:1
Littlejohn Elem School
C−362 students15:1
Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch
D−328 students14:1
Jefferson Elem School
C308 students11:1
Malta Elementary School
C+293 students15:1
Lincoln Elementary School
C272 students16:1
Tyler Elementary School
C−265 students14:1
Huntley Middle School
C865 students12:1
Clinton Rosette Middle School
C575 students12:1
DeKalb High School
B−2,134 students15:1
Beyond One Barb Transition Center
0 students0:1
DeKalb Early Lrng and Dev Ctr
281 students20:1
Towns served
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
Sycamore Community Unit School District 427Mayfield, Sycamore
$18,910per student
Indian Creek Community Unit District 425Clinton, Shabbona
$17,266per student
Rochelle Township High School District 212Alto, Dement, Lynnville
$20,909per student
Kaneland Community Unit School District 302Kaneville, Virgil
$21,339per student
District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.