Public schools in Chatham, IL
6 open public schools with an address in Chatham, operated by 1 education agency. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
6
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
4,516
6 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
17.4:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Chatham public schools
The federal directory lists 6 public schools in Chatham, IL: 3 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high. The 6 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,516 students, an average of 753 per school. The largest campus is Glenwood High School (1,484 students), and the largest elementary school is Glenwood Elementary School (573).
Every listed school belongs to Ball Chatham CUSD 5. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 17.4:1, higher than the statewide school median of 13:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
About 24% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Chatham
Elementary schools in Chatham
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball Elementary School Ball Chatham CUSD 5 | PK–04 | 552 | 18.2:1 | |
| Chatham Elem School Ball Chatham CUSD 5 | KG–04 | 500 | 16.5:1 | |
| Glenwood Elementary School Ball Chatham CUSD 5 | KG–04 | 573 | 15.8:1 |
Middle schools in Chatham
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood Intermediate Sch Ball Chatham CUSD 5 | 05–06 | 672 | 18.2:1 | |
| Glenwood Middle School Ball Chatham CUSD 5 | 07–08 | 735 | 17.2:1 |
High schools in Chatham
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood High School Ball Chatham CUSD 5 | 09–12 | 1,484 | 17.5:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White75.4%
- Hispanic5%
- Black5.9%
- Asian5.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial8.1%
Enrollment-weighted across 6 Chatham schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,516 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Chatham
How many public schools are in Chatham, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 6 open public schools with a location address in Chatham: 3 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high. Together they reported 4,516 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Chatham?
All listed public schools with an address in Chatham belong to Ball Chatham CUSD 5. Mailing cities do not always match district boundaries, so confirm the district for a specific home address.
What is the largest public high school in Chatham?
Glenwood High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Chatham, with 1,484 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Chatham?
No school with an address in Chatham is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Illinois.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Chatham schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Chatham public schools is 17.4:1, higher than the Illinois school median of 13:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Chatham guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Illinois cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Illinois cities