Public schools in Des Plaines, IL
21 open public schools with an address in Des Plaines, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
21
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
8,581
20 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
10.6:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Des Plaines public schools
The federal directory lists 21 public schools in Des Plaines, IL: 12 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high, 2 combined or other. The 20 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 8,581 students, an average of 429 per school. The largest campus is Maine West High School (1,857 students), and the largest elementary school is Forest Elem School (658).
CCSD 62 operates the most schools here (11), and 4 regular districts have at least one Des Plaines campus, plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. 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 10.6:1, lower 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.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 0 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 56% 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 Des Plaines
CCSD 62
Public school district
11 schools in Des Plaines
Comm Cons SD 59
Public school district
3 schools in Des Plaines · 15 total
Region 05 North Cook ISC 1
Other local education agency
3 schools in Des Plaines
East Maine SD 63
Public school district
2 schools in Des Plaines · 7 total
Maine Township HSD 207
Public school district
1 school in Des Plaines · 4 total
NW Suburban Spec Educ Org
Specialized public school district
1 school in Des Plaines · 10 total
Elementary schools in Des Plaines
12| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo Elem School East Maine SD 63 | KG–05 | 536 | 11.1:1 | |
| Brentwood Elem School Comm Cons SD 59 | KG–05 | 375 | 10.6:1 | |
| Central Elem School CCSD 62 | KG–05 | 322 | 11.5:1 | |
| Cumberland Elem School CCSD 62 | KG–05 | 279 | 6.8:1 | |
| Devonshire School Comm Cons SD 59 | KG–05 | 370 | 12.4:1 | |
| Forest Elem School CCSD 62 | PK–05 | 658 | 12.4:1 | |
| Iroquois Community School CCSD 62 | KG–08 | 411 | 12.1:1 | |
| North Elementary School CCSD 62 | KG–05 | 599 | 11.1:1 | |
| Orchard Place Elem School CCSD 62 | KG–05 | 258 | 8.1:1 | |
| Plainfield Elem School CCSD 62 | KG–05 | 285 | 10.6:1 | |
| South Elem School CCSD 62 | KG–05 | 253 | 9.4:1 | |
| Terrace Elem School CCSD 62 | KG–05 | 206 | 7.1:1 |
Middle schools in Des Plaines
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algonquin Middle School CCSD 62 | 06–08 | 597 | 10:1 | |
| Chippewa Middle School CCSD 62 | 06–08 | 652 | 9.6:1 | |
| Friendship Jr High School Comm Cons SD 59 | 06–08 | 633 | 10.7:1 |
High schools in Des Plaines
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine West High School Maine Township HSD 207 | 09–12 | 1,857 | 15.1:1 | |
| Ncisc Alop Region 05 North Cook ISC 1 · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | — | |
| North Cook Student Advocacy ALOP Region 05 North Cook ISC 1 · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | — | |
| North Cook Young Adult Academy Region 05 North Cook ISC 1 · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Des Plaines
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Learning Center East Maine SD 63 | PK–PK | 290 | 18.1:1 | |
| Terrace School-D/HH EC Program NW Suburban Spec Educ Org · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White35.5%
- Hispanic36.4%
- Black4.4%
- Asian19.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.5%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial3.5%
Enrollment-weighted across 17 Des Plaines schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (8,581 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Des Plaines
How many public schools are in Des Plaines, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 21 open public schools with a location address in Des Plaines: 12 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 8,581 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Des Plaines?
Schools with an address in Des Plaines belong to 6 education agencies, led by CCSD 62 (11 schools), Comm Cons SD 59 (3 schools), Region 05 North Cook ISC 1 (3 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Des Plaines?
Maine West High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Des Plaines, with 1,857 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Des Plaines?
No school with an address in Des Plaines 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 Des Plaines schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Des Plaines public schools is 10.6:1, lower 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 Des Plaines 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