Public schools in Lake Forest, IL
7 open public schools with an address in Lake Forest, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
7
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
3,162
7 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
10.3:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Lake Forest public schools
The federal directory lists 7 public schools in Lake Forest, IL: 4 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high. The 7 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 3,162 students, an average of 452 per school. The largest campus is Lake Forest High School (1,359 students), and the largest elementary school is Cherokee Elem School (343).
Lake Forest SD 67 operates the most schools here (5), and 3 regular districts have at least one Lake Forest campus. 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 10.3:1, 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.
School districts and agencies serving Lake Forest
Elementary schools in Lake Forest
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee Elem School Lake Forest SD 67 | KG–04 | 343 | 10.3:1 | |
| Everett Elem School Lake Forest SD 67 | KG–04 | 308 | 11.1:1 | |
| Rondout Elem School Rondout SD 72 | KG–08 | 151 | 8.4:1 | |
| Sheridan Elem School Lake Forest SD 67 | PK–04 | 265 | 10.8:1 |
Middle schools in Lake Forest
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Path Middle Sch East Lake Forest SD 67 | 05–06 | 375 | 9.9:1 | |
| Deer Path Middle Sch West Lake Forest SD 67 | 07–08 | 361 | 8.6:1 |
High schools in Lake Forest
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Forest High School Lake Forest CHSD 115 | 09–12 | 1,359 | 10.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White80.6%
- Hispanic7.8%
- Black0.9%
- Asian4.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial5.7%
Enrollment-weighted across 7 Lake Forest schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (3,162 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Lake Forest
How many public schools are in Lake Forest, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 7 open public schools with a location address in Lake Forest: 4 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high. Together they reported 3,162 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Lake Forest?
Schools with an address in Lake Forest belong to 3 education agencies, led by Lake Forest SD 67 (5 schools), Lake Forest CHSD 115 (1 school), Rondout SD 72 (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 Lake Forest?
Lake Forest High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Lake Forest, with 1,359 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Lake Forest?
No school with an address in Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Lake Forest public schools is 10.3:1, 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 Lake Forest 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