Public schools in Lincoln, IL
10 open public schools with an address in Lincoln, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
10
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
2,268
8 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.6:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Lincoln public schools
The federal directory lists 10 public schools in Lincoln, IL: 5 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. The 8 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 2,268 students, an average of 284 per school. The largest campus is Lincoln Comm High School (764 students), and the largest elementary school is Chester-East Lincoln Elem School (288).
Lincoln ESD 27 operates the most schools here (5), and 4 regular districts have at least one Lincoln 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 12.6:1, 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.
About 53% 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 Lincoln
Lincoln ESD 27
Public school district
5 schools in Lincoln
Chester-East Lincoln CCSD 61
Public school district
1 school in Lincoln
DeWitt/Livingstn/Logan/McLean ROE
Other local education agency
1 school in Lincoln · 6 total
IDJJ Sch Dist 428
State operated agency
1 school in Lincoln · 5 total
Lincoln CHSD 404
Public school district
1 school in Lincoln
West Lincoln-Broadwell ESD 92
Public school district
1 school in Lincoln
Elementary schools in Lincoln
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Elem School Lincoln ESD 27 | KG–05 | 183 | 13.3:1 | |
| Chester-East Lincoln Elem School Chester-East Lincoln CCSD 61 | PK–08 | 288 | 12:1 | |
| Northwest Elem School Lincoln ESD 27 | KG–05 | 271 | 13.7:1 | |
| Washington-Monroe Elem School Lincoln ESD 27 | KG–05 | 224 | 12.6:1 | |
| West Lincoln-Broadwell Elem Sch West Lincoln-Broadwell ESD 92 | PK–08 | 217 | 10.5:1 |
Middle schools in Lincoln
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Jr High School Lincoln ESD 27 | 06–08 | 321 | 11.7:1 |
High schools in Lincoln
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Comm High School Lincoln CHSD 404 | 09–12 | 764 | 13.1:1 | |
| Lincolnland Technical Education Center DeWitt/Livingstn/Logan/McLean ROE · Career and Technical School | 11–12 | 0 | — | |
| Monarch Youth Center IDJJ Sch Dist 428 · Alternative School | 08–12 | — | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Lincoln
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Early Childhood Center Lincoln ESD 27 | PK–PK | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White83.7%
- Hispanic4.5%
- Black2.5%
- Asian0.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial8.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 7 Lincoln schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (2,268 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Lincoln
How many public schools are in Lincoln, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 10 open public schools with a location address in Lincoln: 5 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 2,268 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Lincoln?
Schools with an address in Lincoln belong to 6 education agencies, led by Lincoln ESD 27 (5 schools), Chester-East Lincoln CCSD 61 (1 school), DeWitt/Livingstn/Logan/McLean ROE (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 Lincoln?
Lincoln Comm High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Lincoln, with 764 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Lincoln?
No school with an address in Lincoln 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 Lincoln schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Lincoln public schools is 12.6:1, 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 Lincoln 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