Public schools in Park Forest, IL
8 open public schools with an address in Park Forest, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
8
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
2,068
8 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.9:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Park Forest public schools
The federal directory lists 8 public schools in Park Forest, IL: 5 elementary, 2 middle, 1 combined or other. The 8 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 2,068 students, an average of 259 per school. The largest campus is Michelle Obama Sch of Technology and the Arts (428 students), and the largest elementary school is Illinois School (391).
Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District 163 operates the most schools here (5), and 3 regular districts have at least one Park 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 12.9:1, 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 78% 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 Park Forest
Elementary schools in Park Forest
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21st Century Primary Center Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District 163 | KG–03 | 152 | 10.7:1 | |
| Blackhawk Primary Center Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District 163 | KG–03 | 167 | 13.4:1 | |
| Illinois School Matteson ESD 162 | KG–08 | 391 | 10.4:1 | |
| Mohawk Primary Center Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District 163 | KG–03 | 283 | 14.4:1 | |
| Talala Elementary in Park Forest Crete Monee CUSD 201U | KG–05 | 305 | 15.8:1 |
Middle schools in Park Forest
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Elem School Matteson ESD 162 | 04–06 | 215 | 12.3:1 | |
| Michelle Obama Sch of Technology and the Arts Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District 163 | 06–08 | 428 | 11.3:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Park Forest
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algonquin Primary Center Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District 163 | PK–PK | 127 | 25.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White1.2%
- Hispanic14.7%
- Black78.2%
- Asian0.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial5.6%
Enrollment-weighted across 8 Park Forest schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (2,068 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Park Forest
How many public schools are in Park Forest, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 8 open public schools with a location address in Park Forest: 5 elementary, 2 middle, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 2,068 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Park Forest?
Schools with an address in Park Forest belong to 3 education agencies, led by Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District 163 (5 schools), Matteson ESD 162 (2 schools), Crete Monee CUSD 201U (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
Are there charter schools in Park Forest?
No school with an address in Park 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 Park Forest schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Park Forest public schools is 12.9:1, 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 Park 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