Public schools in Rockford, IL
47 open public schools with an address in Rockford, operated by 1 education agency. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
47
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
28,467
46 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
17.3:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
3
7 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Rockford public schools
The federal directory lists 47 public schools in Rockford, IL: 29 elementary, 7 middle, 7 high, 4 combined or other. The 46 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 28,467 students, an average of 619 per school. The largest campus is Guilford High School (2,216 students), and the largest elementary school is Whitehead Elem School (678).
Every listed school belongs to Rockford SD 205. 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 17.3:1, 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.
School choice options include 3 charter schools, 7 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 5 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 5 of 5 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 70% 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 Rockford
Elementary schools in Rockford
29| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Froberg Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 426 | 15.8:1 | |
| Barbour Two-Way Lang Immersion Rockford SD 205 · Magnet | KG–08 | 628 | 19.2:1 | |
| Brookview Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 484 | 17.3:1 | |
| C Henry Bloom Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 426 | 18.1:1 | |
| Cherry Valley Elementary School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 676 | 17.3:1 | |
| Clifford P Carlson Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 390 | 17.9:1 | |
| Conklin Academy Rockford SD 205 | KG–07 | 372 | 14.9:1 | |
| Constance Lane Elementary School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 623 | 15.8:1 | |
| Ellis Elementary School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 457 | 13.1:1 | |
| Galapagos Rockford Charter Sch Rockford SD 205 · Charter | KG–08 | 384 | 32:1 | |
| Gregory Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 418 | 16.8:1 | |
| Haskell STEAM Academy Rockford SD 205 · Magnet | KG–05 | 301 | 15.1:1 | |
| Jackson Charter School Rockford SD 205 · Charter | KG–05 | 243 | 45:1 | |
| Julia Lathrop Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 357 | 16.6:1 | |
| Legacy Acad of Excellence Charter Sch Rockford SD 205 · Charter | KG–08 | 234 | 29.3:1 | |
| Lewis Lemon Elementary Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 378 | 16.3:1 | |
| Maud E Johnson Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 425 | 14.7:1 | |
| McIntosh Elementary Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 398 | 17.3:1 | |
| Montessori School Rockford SD 205 · Magnet | PK–08 | 660 | 16.9:1 | |
| R K Welsh Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 483 | 19.2:1 | |
| Riverdahl Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 535 | 17.5:1 | |
| Rolling Green Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 505 | 13:1 | |
| SOAR Academy Rockford SD 205 · Alternative School | KG–05 | — | — | |
| Spring Creek Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 523 | 15.7:1 | |
| Swan Hillman Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 581 | 17.2:1 | |
| Thurgood Marshall Elementary Rockford SD 205 · Magnet | 01–04 | 374 | 17.8:1 | |
| Washington Elementary School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 523 | 18:1 | |
| West View Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 521 | 20.7:1 | |
| Whitehead Elem School Rockford SD 205 | KG–05 | 678 | 18.2:1 |
Middle schools in Rockford
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abraham Lincoln Middle School Rockford SD 205 | 06–08 | 736 | 17.4:1 | |
| Bernard W Flinn Middle School Rockford SD 205 | 06–08 | 807 | 16.5:1 | |
| Eisenhower Middle School Rockford SD 205 | 06–08 | 963 | 17:1 | |
| Kennedy Middle School Rockford SD 205 | 06–08 | 393 | 13.1:1 | |
| Rockford Envrnmntl Science Acad Rockford SD 205 | 06–08 | 1,108 | 19.3:1 | |
| Thurgood Marshall School Rockford SD 205 · Magnet | 05–08 | 514 | 17.8:1 | |
| West Middle School Rockford SD 205 · Magnet | 06–08 | 793 | 16.8:1 |
High schools in Rockford
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn High School Rockford SD 205 · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,957 | 19.2:1 | |
| College and Career Education Center Rockford SD 205 · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Guilford High School Rockford SD 205 | 09–12 | 2,216 | 19.5:1 | |
| Jefferson High School Rockford SD 205 | 09–12 | 2,173 | 19.6:1 | |
| Rockford East High School Rockford SD 205 | 09–12 | 1,719 | 16.4:1 | |
| Roosevelt Center Rockford SD 205 | 09–12 | 60 | 1.4:1 | |
| Winnebago Co Detention Center Rockford SD 205 · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Rockford
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beyer Early Childhood Center Rockford SD 205 | PK–PK | 497 | 19.1:1 | |
| Fairview Early Childhood Center Rockford SD 205 | PK–PK | 538 | 22.4:1 | |
| Summerdale Early Childhood Center Rockford SD 205 | PK–PK | 460 | 23:1 | |
| Wm Nashold Early Childhood Center Rockford SD 205 | PK–PK | 530 | 25.2:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White24.1%
- Hispanic33.1%
- Black31.2%
- Asian3.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial7.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 44 Rockford schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (28,467 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Rockford
How many public schools are in Rockford, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 47 open public schools with a location address in Rockford: 29 elementary, 7 middle, 7 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 28,467 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Rockford?
All listed public schools with an address in Rockford belong to Rockford SD 205. Mailing cities do not always match district boundaries, so confirm the district for a specific home address.
What is the largest public high school in Rockford?
Guilford High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Rockford, with 2,216 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Rockford?
Yes. 3 of the 47 public schools in Rockford are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Galapagos Rockford Charter Sch, Jackson Charter School, Legacy Acad of Excellence Charter Sch. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Rockford schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Rockford public schools is 17.3:1, 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 Rockford 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