Public schools in Sterling, IL
12 open public schools with an address in Sterling, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
12
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
3,253
8 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
14.3:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Sterling public schools
The federal directory lists 12 public schools in Sterling, IL: 4 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high, 5 combined or other. The 8 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 3,253 students, an average of 407 per school. The largest campus is Sterling High School (999 students), and the largest elementary school is Jefferson Elem School (450).
Sterling CUSD 5 operates the most schools here (6), 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 14.3:1, 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.
About 61% 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 Sterling
Elementary schools in Sterling
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Elem School Sterling CUSD 5 | PK–02 | 407 | 13.6:1 | |
| Jefferson Elem School Sterling CUSD 5 | PK–02 | 450 | 14.9:1 | |
| Lincoln Elem School Sterling CUSD 5 | 03–05 | 277 | 12.6:1 | |
| Washington Elem School Sterling CUSD 5 | 03–05 | 394 | 12.3:1 |
Middle schools in Sterling
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challand Middle School Sterling CUSD 5 | 06–08 | 726 | 16.5:1 |
High schools in Sterling
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling High School Sterling CUSD 5 | 09–12 | 999 | 17.5:1 | |
| Whiteside Area Career Ctr Lee/Ogle/Whiteside ROE · Career and Technical School | 11–12 | 0 | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Sterling
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bi-County Sp Ed-Transition Life Skills-Sterling Bi-County Special Educ Coop · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Bi-County SpEd HS Bi-County Special Educ Coop · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Bi-County-3-5 LIfe Skills-Merrill Rock Falls Bi-County Special Educ Coop · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Bi-County-K-2 Life Skills-Dillon Rock Falls Bi-County Special Educ Coop · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — | |
| ROE 47 Student Support ALOP Lee/Ogle/Whiteside ROE · Alternative School | 04–12 | 0 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White55%
- Hispanic35.3%
- Black2.1%
- Asian1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial6.3%
Enrollment-weighted across 6 Sterling schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (3,253 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Sterling
How many public schools are in Sterling, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 12 open public schools with a location address in Sterling: 4 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high, 5 combined or other. Together they reported 3,253 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Sterling?
Schools with an address in Sterling belong to 3 education agencies, led by Sterling CUSD 5 (6 schools), Bi-County Special Educ Coop (4 schools), Lee/Ogle/Whiteside ROE (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 Sterling?
Sterling High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Sterling, with 999 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Sterling?
No school with an address in Sterling 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 Sterling schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Sterling public schools is 14.3:1, 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 Sterling 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