Public schools in Kankakee, IL
14 open public schools with an address in Kankakee, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
14
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
5,070
14 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.7:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Kankakee public schools
The federal directory lists 14 public schools in Kankakee, IL: 7 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high, 2 combined or other. The 14 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 5,070 students, an average of 362 per school. The largest campus is Kankakee High School (1,360 students), and the largest elementary school is John Kennedy Middle Grade School (519).
Kankakee SD 111 operates the most schools here (11), and 2 regular districts have at least one Kankakee campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. 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 15.7:1, 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.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 84% 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 Kankakee
Elementary schools in Kankakee
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edison Primary School Kankakee SD 111 | KG–03 | 192 | 15.5:1 | |
| John Kennedy Middle Grade School Kankakee SD 111 | 03–06 | 519 | 19.7:1 | |
| King Middle Grade School Kankakee SD 111 | 03–06 | 385 | 19.8:1 | |
| Lincoln Cltrl Ctr-Montessori Elem Kankakee SD 111 | KG–08 | 437 | 17.2:1 | |
| Mark Twain Primary School Kankakee SD 111 | PK–03 | 192 | 15:1 | |
| Steuben Elementary School Kankakee SD 111 | PK–03 | 234 | 14.4:1 | |
| Taft Primary School Kankakee SD 111 | KG–03 | 316 | 15.8:1 |
Middle schools in Kankakee
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee Junior High School Kankakee SD 111 | 07–08 | 501 | 17.5:1 | |
| Limestone Middle Sch Herscher CUSD 2 | 05–08 | 468 | 12.8:1 |
High schools in Kankakee
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I Kan Regional Alternatve Att Ctr Iroquois/Kankakee ROE · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Kankakee High School Kankakee SD 111 | 09–12 | 1,360 | 15.7:1 | |
| Salt School Iroquois/Kankakee ROE · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Kankakee
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avis Huff Student Support Services Center Kankakee SD 111 · Alternative School | KG–12 | 0 | — | |
| Proegler School Kankakee SD 111 | PK–PK | 466 | 31.1:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White22%
- Hispanic31.9%
- Black41.3%
- Asian0.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial4.5%
Enrollment-weighted across 11 Kankakee schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (5,070 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Kankakee
How many public schools are in Kankakee, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 14 open public schools with a location address in Kankakee: 7 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 5,070 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Kankakee?
Schools with an address in Kankakee belong to 3 education agencies, led by Kankakee SD 111 (11 schools), Iroquois/Kankakee ROE (2 schools), Herscher CUSD 2 (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Kankakee?
Kankakee High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Kankakee, with 1,360 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Kankakee?
No school with an address in Kankakee 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 Kankakee schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Kankakee public schools is 15.7:1, 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 Kankakee 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