C+
Sterling Community Unit District 5
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 7 towns
Serves Sterling, Sterling, Palmyra, Hopkins, Jordan, Genesee and Coleta, and parts of Lyndon.
Students
3,253
Schools
6
Spent per student
$15,512
IL $21,567
Students per teacher
15:1
Free or reduced lunch
61%
Debt
$34.0M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Sterling Community Unit District 5
- School Grade C+: better than 38% of Illinois districts
- Math proficiency 8 pts below the state
- Reading / language arts 9 pts below the state
- Spends 28% less per student than the IL average
- 15 students per teacher
- Debt of $34.0M, about $10,446 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Coleta.
PK–22 elementary schoolsThis district
3–52 elementary schoolsThis district
6–8Challand Middle SchoolThis district
9–12Sterling High SchoolThis district
Test scores vs. IL
2020–21Math proficiency18%
State average 25.8%
Reading / language arts22%
State average 30.7%
Graduation rate (4-year)87%
State average 87.3%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$15,512 per student · 28% below IL
Spending
Classroom instruction 63%Support & administration 34%Other 3%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 37%State 55%Federal 8%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
3,263’20
3,279’21
3,264’22
3,228’23
3,253’24
About steady.
Students
White 55%Hispanic 35%Two or more races 6%Black 2%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%
Schools in the district
6 public schools.
Towns served
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
Rock Falls Township High School District 301Coloma, Hume, Nelson
$21,141per student
East Coloma-Nelson Consolidated Elementary School District 20Coloma, Nelson, Rock Falls
$20,268per student
Rock Falls Elementary School District 13Coloma, Rock Falls
$17,302per student
Morrison Community Unit School District 6Clyde, Mount Pleasant
$14,230per 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.