2023 Best Schools in Rockford

• Rockford, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.32 out of 5  68 reviews

Parent: Keith is the perfect setting for students wanting/needing an individualized education curriculum. While the rigor is that of a college preparatory school, the teachers are very supportive in assisting students meet the academic expectations. The emphasis on the arts from LS all the way through the US is quite awesome! The opportunities for growth and development in Art, Music, and Drama is introduced at the PreK level and continues on through LS, MS and US. Keith allows everyone the opportunity for and encourages participation in extracurriculars from sports to quiz bowl to robotics and even individualized clubs.... Read 68 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 286

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Pecatonica Community Unit School District No. 321, IL•

• 5-8

• grade A

• Students 289

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Pecatonica Community Unit School District No. 321, IL•

• PK, K-4

• grade A minus

• Students 309

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Rockford, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.81 out of 5  136 reviews

Senior: I have been a student at Rockford Christian since pre-K 3. During my time here, I have made many amazing friends, and have had the privilege of being taught by many amazing teachers. I am a very math and science oriented student. This year, our Science Olympiad, FTC Robotics, and ICTM Math teams all advanced to state, winning several awards. Being a part of these teams was an amazing opportunity to pursue my interests outside of the classroom. I have also been on the Bass Fishing, Rocketry, and Scholastic Bowl teams, and have had a lot of fun in those. There are opportunities to serve in the student council, NHS, and Key Club, and our athletic teams always succeed in their competitions. I was on the swim team for four years, and made many of my best friends that way. In the Fall, I will be attending Duke University. I was also accepted to Northwestern and was offered a full ride to two other institutions. RCS prepared me well for college, and I am excited for what is to come!... Read 136 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 743

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Rockford, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  131 reviews

Parent: Really like the culture of this school! Feels like everyone knows and supports each other. Teachers communicate fairly well with parents but I do feel like academics aren’t to the “private school level” they could or should be. More opportunities to mentor students, provide enrichment and set higher expectations would really push students to a higher standard. That being said, we completely understand that students are playing catch up after the chaos of covid. Hoping new administration will focus less on the “Christ-centered” calling of the school and more on recruiting and retaining high quality teachers and college prep.... Read 131 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 707

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Rockford School District No. 205, IL•

• 1-4

• grade A minus

• Students 400

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Rockford School District No. 205, IL•

• 5-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Middle School Student: I go to this school and I have since 2nd grade. All the teachers are nice and want the best for all of their students. There is a lot of homework but that is what the program uses to make sure you are trying and actually want to be in this special program. I overall love this school and all of the people here are wonderful.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 492

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Rockford, IL•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  134 reviews

Alum: I had an incredible experience at Boylan Catholic High School over my four years there. I was able to be involved in challenging classes, choir, three varsity sports, and various leadership organizations while maintaining balance in my life. In addition to a well-rounded education, Boylan gives students the opportunity to build strong relationships with faculty that extend beyond the student's high school career, which is an important tool during the transition into college. If I could go back in time and decide where I went to high school, I would go to Boylan again.... Read 134 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 850

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Meridian Community Unit School District No. 223, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.69 out of 5  95 reviews

Senior: Stillman Valley High School to me is home, at least the last 2 semesters. With all of the change in the world in 2020 Stillman Valley High School has really put forth there best effort to create a simple and easy hybrid learning style. Meaning the district installed "Pexip" cameras and Monitors in every class room to live stream every single moment of class. By installing this system the teachers and freely move around the classroom as the were teaching a regular class. This works seamlessly with the district's hybrid plan. The hybrid plan allows students who do not feel safe to learn at school join the classes live stream from home. While other students may go to school and sit in while the teacher conducts his/he lessons for the day. This plan is centered around a block schedule. Students are in-person four days a week leaving Wednesday as a full remote day. This gives the amazing custodians a day to disinfect everything. In all my time at Stillman it was safe and educational.... Read 95 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 560

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Rockford School District No. 205, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.57 out of 5  364 reviews

Senior: The gifted program at Auburn high school is fantastic for academics. There are lots of opportunities to take advanced classes and interact with teachers. The teachers are amiable and knowledgeable about the subjects. However, the environment is not very safe and there are fights almost daily. The school often goes into lockdown. The building is decent and has up-to-date technology. The bathrooms are very dirty and often smell like marijuana or other drugs. There are lots of opportunities to join sports and extracurriculars. The sports teams tend to perform decently and the academic teams do very well. The arts program is underwhelming, but there are lots of opportunities for students to become involved.... Read 364 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 2,046

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Pecatonica Community Unit School District No. 321, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.95 out of 5  44 reviews

Senior: I really liked that Pecatonica High School is a small school, which allowed me to play multiple sports. I also liked that I was able to go in and talk to my teachers at any time, and they got to know us on a personal level, which showed that they cared. They were always willing to help whenever I had questions. Because the school is small, I know the administration well, and they are always pushing us to do our best and be as prepared for college as possible. One thing I wish Pecatonica High School offered was more elective class choices. I would have liked to have an opportunity to take classes teaching us some basic life skills, such as cooking, paying bills, and managing money.... Read 44 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 288

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Rockford, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  5 reviews

Niche User: I loved the environment and friends.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B

• Students 227

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Winnebago Community Unit School District No. 323, IL•

• 6-8

• grade B

• Students 319

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Meridian Community Unit School District No. 223, IL•

• 6-8

• grade B

• Students 330

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Beloit, WI•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 2.8 out of 5  10 reviews

Parent: Rock County Christian School is a small Christian K-12 school, but the small class sizes are the reason the academics are so excellent. Teachers are able to invest in the lives of the students, and if a student is struggling, teachers go out of their way to help with one-on-one instruction. Through its participation in the voucher program, the student body has become very diverse, which offers an opportunity for students to engage with peers who are from different backgrounds than theirs. The students receive an excellent education which prepares them well for college. Overall, I would highly recommend Rock County Christian School!... Read 10 reviews

• grade B

• Students 151

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Rockford, IL•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  55 reviews

Alum: Walking into my first day of senior year, I was filled with excitement. Although I was unsure of what was to hold, it felt so right to be at Christian Life. As a senior year transfer, many people were questioning me about where I'm from or why I chose here. I began to feel overwhelmed. I was walking to my fourth-period class but got stopped by an outgoing, redhead. She walked me to class and constantly made me laugh. She is now one of my best friends. The class I was walking to became my favorite class. Christian Life has not only shown me the importance of feeling loved, blessed, and cared for but brought me a wonderful friend. I am beyond thankful for my experience at Christian Life as it has shown me to never be afraid to take the chance. They have amazing teachers who want to work with you and share a special bond not just inside the classroom but also outside of the classroom. I was blessed with the opportunity of attending Christian Life for one year. I would recommend.... Read 55 reviews

• grade B

• Students 650

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Rockford School District No. 205, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.66 out of 5  182 reviews

Alum: I recently graduated from Guilford High School in May 2017. The best thing about Guilford was the teachers. From my calculus teacher, to my AP art teacher, each and every one had a particular passion towards teaching that you unfortunately do not always see. Each and every one of my teachers were devoted to seeing us succeed, not just with finishing high school, but also beyond that. Many teachers of mine helped students with college application processes, advice, and unconditional support. Every student deserves to learn from teachers like these. I will forever be grateful to them and what they'd taught me those four years!... Read 182 reviews

• grade B

• Students 1,970

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Harlem School District No. 122, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.61 out of 5  295 reviews

Senior: Personally, I enjoyed my time at Harlem High School. The teachers were really friendly and taught in a way that the content of the curriculum was easy to learn and recall. The curriculum could have consisted of some more difficult work, but there were honors classes offered as well as a other options for students seeking more. The extracurriculars were great and inclusive. The staff was always looking to help students. My experience of Harlem was over all really good.... Read 295 reviews

• grade B

• Students 2,004

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Winnebago Community Unit School District No. 323, IL•

• 3-5

• grade B

• Students 283

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Harlem School District No. 122, IL•

• 4-6

• grade B

• Students 255

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Meridian Community Unit School District No. 223, IL•

• 3-5

• grade B minus

• Students 320

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Winnebago Community Unit School District No. 323, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.53 out of 5  105 reviews

Niche User: Attending Winnebago High School was one of the greatest experiences that I have had! The teachers there really care for their students and want them to succeed. I personally got along better with the teachers rather than the students. Its a clean, welcoming, and encouraging environment. It is a small community so everyone knows everybody. In some ways its not always ideal but in cases where seeking help is needed, you know that there is always someone there who understands. I wish I could go back!... Read 105 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 416

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Harlem School District No. 122, IL•

• 1-3

• grade B minus

• Students 319

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Harlem School District No. 122, IL•

• 7-8

• •
  Rating 3.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Senior: I loved that the teachers were always available when you needed extra help. I had several teachers who went the extra mile to incorporate all sorts of style of projects and teaching methods to accommodate the variety of learners in the class. I love the staff there.... Read 3 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 1,013

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Rockford School District No. 205, IL•

• K-5

• grade B minus

• Students 440

• Student-teacher ratio —