Public schools in Joliet, IL
42 open public schools with an address in Joliet, operated by 9 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
42
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
20,526
39 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13.6:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
0
3 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Joliet public schools
The federal directory lists 42 public schools in Joliet, IL: 24 elementary, 6 middle, 8 high, 4 combined or other. The 39 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 20,526 students, an average of 526 per school. The largest campus is Joliet West High School (3,451 students), and the largest elementary school is Thomas Jefferson Elem Sch (646).
Joliet PSD 86 operates the most schools here (22), and 7 regular districts have at least one Joliet 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 13.6:1, similar to 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.
School choice options include 3 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 7 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 76% 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 Joliet
Joliet PSD 86
Public school district
22 schools in Joliet
Joliet Twp HSD 204
Public school district
4 schools in Joliet
Plainfield SD 202
Public school district
4 schools in Joliet · 31 total
Will ROE
Other local education agency
4 schools in Joliet · 5 total
S Will Co Coop for Spec Ed
Specialized public school district
3 schools in Joliet · 13 total
Troy CCSD 30C
Public school district
2 schools in Joliet · 7 total
Laraway CCSD 70C
Public school district
1 school in Joliet
Minooka CCSD 201
Public school district
1 school in Joliet · 7 total
Union SD 81
Public school district
1 school in Joliet
Elementary schools in Joliet
24| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A O Marshall Elem School Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 246 | 13.5:1 | |
| Carl Sandburg Elementary Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 371 | 18.8:1 | |
| Crystal Lawns Elem School Plainfield SD 202 | KG–05 | 328 | 12:1 | |
| Edna Keith Elem School Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 402 | 16:1 | |
| Eisenhower Academy Joliet PSD 86 · Magnet | 01–05 | 209 | 16.1:1 | |
| Farragut Elem School Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 568 | 16.8:1 | |
| Forest Park Individual Ed School Joliet PSD 86 · Magnet | KG–05 | 263 | 18.1:1 | |
| Grand Prairie Elem School Plainfield SD 202 | KG–05 | 494 | 11.9:1 | |
| Isaac Singleton Elem Sch Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 304 | 10:1 | |
| Jones Elementary School Minooka CCSD 201 | KG–04 | 553 | 14.4:1 | |
| Laraway School Laraway CCSD 70C | PK–08 | 433 | 8.2:1 | |
| Lynne Thigpen Elem School Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 620 | 15.4:1 | |
| M J Cunningham Elem Sch Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 484 | 14.5:1 | |
| Pershing Elem School Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 621 | 19:1 | |
| Sator Sanchez Elem School Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 635 | 12.7:1 | |
| T E Culbertson Elem School Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 377 | 24.3:1 | |
| Taft Elementary School Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 424 | 20:1 | |
| Thomas Jefferson Elem Sch Plainfield SD 202 | KG–05 | 646 | 13:1 | |
| Thomas Jefferson Elem School Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 235 | 8.5:1 | |
| Thompson Instructional Center Joliet PSD 86 · Alternative School | KG–08 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Troy Craughwell School Troy CCSD 30C | KG–04 | 526 | 13.7:1 | |
| Troy Heritage Trail School Troy CCSD 30C | KG–04 | 480 | 13.4:1 | |
| Union Elementary School Union SD 81 | KG–08 | 143 | 11.5:1 | |
| Woodland Elem School Joliet PSD 86 | KG–05 | 368 | 17.1:1 |
Middle schools in Joliet
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aux Sable Middle Sch Plainfield SD 202 | 06–08 | 844 | 15.1:1 | |
| Dirksen Junior High School Joliet PSD 86 | 06–08 | 653 | 14.1:1 | |
| Gompers Junior High School Joliet PSD 86 | 06–08 | 615 | 10.1:1 | |
| Hufford Junior High School Joliet PSD 86 | 06–08 | 1,072 | 13.2:1 | |
| Washington Jr High & Academy Prgm Joliet PSD 86 · Magnet | 06–08 | 724 | 14.2:1 | |
| Will Co Detention Center 6-8 Joliet PSD 86 · Alternative School | 06–08 | 0 | — |
High schools in Joliet
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet Central High School Joliet Twp HSD 204 | 09–12 | 3,295 | 18.2:1 | |
| Joliet West High School Joliet Twp HSD 204 | 09–12 | 3,451 | 20.6:1 | |
| Lincoln School ALOP Will ROE · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | — | |
| Lincoln School RSSP Will ROE · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Lincoln School TAOEP Will ROE · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Pathways Academy Joliet Twp HSD 204 · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| ROE 56 ALOP Success Program Will ROE · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Will Co Detention Center 9-12 Joliet Twp HSD 204 · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Joliet
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph E Fisher School S Will Co Coop for Spec Ed · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Marycrest Early Childhood Center Joliet PSD 86 | PK–PK | 142 | 6.5:1 | |
| SOWIC-Comm & Adaptv Bhrv- Joliet S Will Co Coop for Spec Ed · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — | |
| SOWIC-Early Childhood Joliet S Will Co Coop for Spec Ed · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White16.8%
- Hispanic59.7%
- Black18.4%
- Asian1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial3.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 31 Joliet schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (20,526 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Joliet
How many public schools are in Joliet, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 42 open public schools with a location address in Joliet: 24 elementary, 6 middle, 8 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 20,526 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Joliet?
Schools with an address in Joliet belong to 9 education agencies, led by Joliet PSD 86 (22 schools), Joliet Twp HSD 204 (4 schools), Plainfield SD 202 (4 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Joliet?
Joliet West High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Joliet, with 3,451 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Joliet?
No school with an address in Joliet 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 Joliet schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Joliet public schools is 13.6:1, similar to 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 Joliet 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