Public schools in Ottawa, IL
13 open public schools with an address in Ottawa, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
13
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
3,504
13 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13.1:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Ottawa public schools
The federal directory lists 13 public schools in Ottawa, IL: 6 elementary, 3 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. The 13 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 3,504 students, an average of 270 per school. The largest campus is Ottawa Township High School (1,223 students), and the largest elementary school is Wallace Elem School (420).
Ottawa ESD 141 operates the most schools here (5), and 5 regular districts have at least one Ottawa 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 13.1:1, 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 49% 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 Ottawa
Ottawa ESD 141
Public school district
5 schools in Ottawa
La Salle/Marshall/Putnam ROE
Other local education agency
2 schools in Ottawa · 7 total
Ottawa Twp HSD 140
Public school district
2 schools in Ottawa
Wallace CCSD 195
Public school district
2 schools in Ottawa
Deer Park CCSD 82
Public school district
1 school in Ottawa
Rutland CCSD 230
Public school district
1 school in Ottawa
Elementary schools in Ottawa
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Park C C Elem School Deer Park CCSD 82 | KG–08 | 44 | 6.3:1 | |
| Jefferson Elem School Ottawa ESD 141 | PK–04 | 304 | 13.3:1 | |
| Lincoln Elem School Ottawa ESD 141 | PK–04 | 387 | 13.1:1 | |
| McKinley Elem School Ottawa ESD 141 | PK–04 | 364 | 14.9:1 | |
| Rutland Elem School Rutland CCSD 230 | PK–08 | 70 | 6.4:1 | |
| Wallace Elem School Wallace CCSD 195 | PK–08 | 420 | 14.8:1 |
Middle schools in Ottawa
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Intermediate School Ottawa ESD 141 | 05–06 | 339 | 12.3:1 | |
| LaSalle Co Detention Center 6-8 Wallace CCSD 195 · Alternative School | 06–08 | 0 | — | |
| Shepherd Middle School Ottawa ESD 141 | 07–08 | 353 | 11.5:1 |
High schools in Ottawa
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaSalle Co Detention Center 9-12 Ottawa Twp HSD 140 · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Ottawa Township High School Ottawa Twp HSD 140 | 09–12 | 1,223 | 13.7:1 | |
| ROE 35 Regional Work Study Program La Salle/Marshall/Putnam ROE · Alternative School | 12–12 | 0 | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Ottawa
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMP Regional Office of Education La Salle/Marshall/Putnam ROE · Alternative School | 04–12 | 0 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White74.6%
- Hispanic17.6%
- Black2.4%
- Asian1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial4.1%
Enrollment-weighted across 9 Ottawa schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (3,504 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Ottawa
How many public schools are in Ottawa, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 13 open public schools with a location address in Ottawa: 6 elementary, 3 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 3,504 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Ottawa?
Schools with an address in Ottawa belong to 6 education agencies, led by Ottawa ESD 141 (5 schools), La Salle/Marshall/Putnam ROE (2 schools), Ottawa Twp HSD 140 (2 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Ottawa?
Ottawa Township High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Ottawa, with 1,223 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Ottawa?
No school with an address in Ottawa 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 Ottawa schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Ottawa public schools is 13.1:1, 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 Ottawa 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