Largest School Districts in Illinois

• Chicago, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.62 out of 5  315 reviews

Senior: My experience in public schools, are many words of happiness and sorrow I feel as if the system has made and built and tore and broke many children but for I I’ve felt it has broke and built me to become the person I am today in many ways to thrive and achieve the goals I wanted to be my public school has taught me to always make the best out of your situation no matter what predicament you may be put in I had transferred into public not liking the fact I was in more of an open environment with many different characters of people that I wasn’t not used to nor did want to accommodate to but because of my public school Morgan park it had broke me and built me to reflect this like life because no matter where you go it’s going to be something you don’t like but you cannot change and to not run from your situation but to make the best of it and to learn from it on how you can make it for you!... Read 315 reviews

• grade B

• Total schools 646

• Students 329,836

• Elgin, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.58 out of 5  207 reviews

Senior: Ever since I've moved into this district, I have been recieving nothing but support from all of my teachers. During middle, a few of my teachers still kept in contact with me as that would help me stay motivated throught my education. Overall, the teachers and staff are helpful in any way they can. As a highschooler in mid-senior year, I am looking foward to applying to colleges and scholarships as a way to help me get through college. Another thing I want to point out about this district is their enthusiasm and school spirit when meeting parents and students; they offer the best activities they can to keep students involved and make their educational experience as memorable as can be.... Read 207 reviews

• grade B

• Total schools 58

• Students 35,864

• Rockford, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.63 out of 5  72 reviews

Senior: At East High School, where I attend, I have been given an abundance of opportunities to grow. From the numerous amount of AP courses offered to the PLTW courses that have allowed me to broaden my engineering knowledge and move me down that path, there are endless opportunities. I have had great teachers that motivate, push, and inspire me to do better and to always work hard for what I want. My counselor and academy coach are also just as involved in my well being and education as my core teachers. The staff is dedicated to making a difference in the student's lives and help out in our social lives and extracurriculars as much as they can to support us even outside of the classroom. We have been given SAT prep courses for no charge, seminars and workshops for college readiness, and many other courses and activities to prepare us for life beyond high school. I am proud to say that I come from East High School.... Read 72 reviews

• grade C

• Total schools 45

• Students 27,766

• Aurora, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 4.3 out of 5  97 reviews

Junior: Being a student within the school district 204 is great as is it with all of it's amazing statistcal scholar levels, but being a student at Metea Valley is a huge bonus for me. The school has tons of diversity for students to branch out and learn something new and unfamilar to their personal culture and traditions. There's so many clubs that are open and welcoming to all individuals that it would make you question just about how many clubs can one think of! My school is not like the others because our school spirit screams louder than a chalk board being scratched.Our teachers pour their heart and soul into applying their teaching methods upon us just to see us graduate and though it may be tough for them sometimes, we all succeed in the end. We have an motto that we go by there, and it's L.I.F.E. L as in live, I as in integrity, F as in focus, and E as in effort. It may not be the biggest of school, but once you come, you won't want to leave. So with that being said, GO GO MUSTANGS!... Read 97 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 33

• Students 25,815

• Plainfield, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  223 reviews

Junior: The staff are incredibly invested in the betterment of each individual student's potential. Never has a teacher backed down from sacrificing resources for their students learning experience. The cleanliness practiced by the janitorial staff within the district is impeccably hygienic. The sports teams of all strengths are unconditionally supported by foucused students and determined staff, Go Cougars! Life is your oyster so you wouldn't waste time of it make the world know your dreams and ambitions by joining clubs and getting a well earned relaxing break after school in chess club, speech club, and there are clubs that teach specific languages such as Deutsch, François, and Español if you want to travel the business world with bilingual confidence . As always to each their own adaptability is a respected practice amongst teachers for every student here in Plainfield School District No. 202. Can't wait for more cougar families to enroll see you there!... Read 223 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 31

• Students 25,055

• Algonquin, IL•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  96 reviews

Senior: Great district. Great leadership. The student population is incredibly diverse. The schools, from Preschool to Highschool, have plenty of extracurricular activities to enrich the student's academic experience.... Read 96 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 28

• Students 20,293

• Oswego, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.8 out of 5  112 reviews

Other: my overall experience at oswego community school district 308 has been nothing but amazing specifically as a teachers assistant at hunt club elementary school. Helping students is my passion and I was fortunate enough to see it this school year. Hunt Club cares about their students, parents and ALL of their staff!... Read 112 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 22

• Students 17,031

• Naperville, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 4.3 out of 5  82 reviews

Senior: I wouldn't change anything. I enjoyed my four years at Central! The entire faculty work very hard to ensure that all students receive a quality education.... Read 82 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 22

• Students 16,245

• Romeoville, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.89 out of 5  55 reviews

Alum: Despite seeming somewhat unorganized and disconnected from the students and their families with regard to large scale issues such as the Covid Virus, severe weather school cancellation, and general policies that directly affect students, the district offers an abundance of quality resources that are easily shown and reflected in the clubs and activities offered. There is a vast array of sports from the common basketball and football to more niche ones such as badminton and bowling, in addition to many clubs that in totality, harbor a wide range of possible interests like gaming in the Esports club, acting or playing in the successful theater and band programs, or connecting with community and culture in the many individual and communal programs/activities such as culture shows, Gay Straight Alliance, and many more. I would definitely like to see communication between administrators and students/parents be strengthened as I have always felt disconnected in that way.... Read 55 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 20

• Students 15,194

• Schaumburg, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 1.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Middle School Student: Overall a great district, the schools here are overall very engaging and good,and the teachers are lenient yet thorough, and offer little to no bias on certain topics, and if they do exhibit bias, its often for a logical reason. The assignments can be difficult at times but overall they are pretty easy(for me, since i'm in discovery) The discovery classes are also great overall and each school prepares you pretty well. The main issue with the district is within the teachers throughout the district, one of my teachers told me how everyone else in the district kept on having worse scores in English because of bias and a feeling of 'superiority' over others, hence why certain schools are much better than others in English. However, in math, every school does a great job at teaching it,whether or not its normal or advanced math.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 28

• Students 15,052

• Waukegan, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.26 out of 5  34 reviews

Senior: Waukegan has it's ups and downs like any place. To be able to succeed in Waukegan you need to find the drive within yourself to challenge yourself in classes and learn to motivate yourself because if you give up and your grades reflect on that the school will give up on you. They will not try to get you back to your feet if you are far from saving. Waukegan high school is not a motivating environment but you can make it a great learning one. You go in pay attention do your work join some amazing extracurriculars and your time at Waukegan high school will be great.... Read 34 reviews

• grade D+

• Total schools 22

• Students 14,152

• Springfield, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.65 out of 5  49 reviews

Alum: My overall experience with District 186 was fair. While in high school some of my best moments were creating new friends, figuring out who I was as a person, as well as going to a great amount of school activities and parties. The worst parts came fairly after COVID-19. learning online at home was something I was incapable of doing, and not because I did not want to there were just too many distractions at home that I could not bypass . My grades slipped and it was very hard to recover, However District 186 has some hidden gems (staff) that understood me as a person, and cheered me along the whole way. I appreciate every experience that District 186 were able to provide for me. From learning how to spell my name to walking across that stage and receiving my Diploma. Although I would not change my experience for the world, I will say that I would have liked to see more teachers with the compassion to help their students learn and understand the material that they were handing out.... Read 49 reviews

• grade B minus

• Total schools 35

• Students 13,070

• Aurora, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.97 out of 5  63 reviews

Senior: In August of 2019, I enter for the first time to East Aurora High School. I found passionate teachers are passionate, and challenging hallways. Even with the overpopulated student body, students can find a place to belong, if we put our best foot forward to do our part. The staff is great about creating venues of opportunity and communicating better with the resources they have. There are student behavior challenges that have given a bad reputation to our school. However, our school has improved so much and we do not hear about it as we should. Our graduation rate has been increasing each year! I feel fortunate and grateful to soon be a Graduate Tom Cat!... Read 63 reviews

• grade C minus

• Total schools 20

• Students 12,894

• Peoria, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.51 out of 5  39 reviews

Senior: Overall, my experience in this school district has been great! They make wise and fair calls for canceling school due to weather conditions; that in itself is something that males me feel safe in this school district. I feel like they could change how some of the buildings look. They could work on updating both the interior and exterior of some of the schools.... Read 39 reviews

• grade C+

• Total schools 32

• Students 12,805

• Normal, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.75 out of 5  16 reviews

Alum: It was a great school with many great teachers and programs, but there needed to be better application of funds.... Read 16 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 26

• Students 12,593

• Palatine, IL•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.25 out of 5  112 reviews

Senior: I’ve spent all of my 4 years if high school at D211. However, I only got to understand the depth of the culture and community during my Junior and Senior years. I had Zoom learning Freshman and Sophomore year so I couldn’t bond with the students and staff at my school as usual. When I did come back in-person, I started to notice how involving the district is for education, extracurriculars, and careers. One major thing I can commemorate D211 for is not giving up on students up until graduation day. Even after spending less time in-person at this district I can confidently say that they care very much about student involvement. One thing I would improve or change would be testing students on their abilities on an advanced level to see if they would be capable of taking harder curriculums. Other than that D211 is doing a splendid job at ensuring students futures and involvement.... Read 112 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 7

• Students 12,121

• Arlington Heights, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 4.23 out of 5  87 reviews

Alum: As a 2019 alum of Rolling Meadows High School, I can say that my overall experience at the school was positive. The school provided a rigorous academic curriculum with many opportunities for extracurricular activities, sports, and clubs. One of the strengths of Rolling Meadows High School was the diversity of the student body. I had the opportunity to meet and learn from students with different backgrounds and experiences, which helped me to develop my own perspective on the world. The teachers at Rolling Meadows High School were knowledgeable and dedicated. They pushed me to think critically and to develop my analytical skills. The school offered many advanced courses, such as AP and honors classes, which prepared me well for college-level work. One area that could be improved was the school's facilities. Some of the classrooms and equipment were outdated, and the school could benefit from modernization and renovation.... Read 87 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 10

• Students 12,073

• Saint Charles, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 4.38 out of 5  88 reviews

Senior: I have had a positive, enriching learning experience going to D303 Schools. I felt like teachers and school staff cared about me in all three levels of D303 education. They were very supportive of me once I started discovering who I was, and the teachers that I have had all wanted to see me grow and succeed. The course offerings are plentiful here, they offer a lot of AP courses at the high schools for students that are on that track, along with meaningful elective courses that students would at least get a few good things out of. In addition, there are a lot of student clubs to join at the middle and high school levels, there is something for everyone. It is easy to be involved in multiple clubs and maintain a challenging course load, because of the hard working attitudes of the students that D303 helps foster.... Read 88 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 18

• Students 11,958

• Wheaton, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 4.41 out of 5  22 reviews

Senior: I've grown up my whole life in CUSD200. Throughout the course of my academic career, I've encountered countless thoughtful and dedicated teachers that have made me more and more excited to learn. CUSD200 is a very close-knit and warm community that I am proud to be a part of. If I could change anything, it would be more mental health resources available to youth as society continues to change. Especially in middle school, I feel it is more important than ever to come alongside each and every student to brighten their future. My roots will always come back to CUSD200 and I am grateful for my time here.... Read 22 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 20

• Students 11,709

• Aurora, IL•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  23 reviews

Alum: I attended school k-12 in the district of 129! These years are the most important developmentally. My elementary, middle and high school really allowed me to express myself. I learned a lot and I grew my knowledge. I grew as a person. I give a big thanks to school district 129!... Read 23 reviews

• grade B

• Total schools 17

• Students 11,195

• Palatine, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 4 out of 5  4 reviews

Parent: My kids have loving teachers who are there to support them at all times! I can’t imagine them getting these needs elsewhere!... Read 4 reviews

• grade B

• Total schools 20

• Students 11,177

• Champaign, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 3.64 out of 5  70 reviews

Senior: I like the overall atmosphere of the school. Even while being a public school the school is still able to maintain a welcoming atmosphere. There is little to no discrimination and the school welcomes all. My only criticism would be, like any schools, it could definitely approve on how they treat their staff, as well as how much staff they keep employed. As well as recent conflicts in the school which led us to know have to carry identification and pass through metal detectors on our way into the school. But I feel this makes me feel even slightly safer.... Read 70 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 20

• Students 10,277

• Joliet, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 4.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Senior: Joliet Public School has always been for me a place for fun, community and learning. Throughout the years I have grown surrounded by supportive teachers and administrative members. I could not have been happier. It has given me many opportunities to discover myself, the world and its complexities. I have studied a lot but I have also meat some of my best friends, and had my best laughs. I am proud to represent Joliet Public School and the values it has taught me.... Read 5 reviews

• grade C minus

• Total schools 22

• Students 9,872

• Cicero, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 1.33 out of 5  3 reviews

• grade D

• Total schools 16

• Students 9,270

• Algonquin, IL•

• School District

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  Rating 4.48 out of 5  42 reviews

Senior: Our school offers a curriculum that reflects a diverse range of perspectives, histories, and cultures. Access to advanced courses, extracurricular activities, support services, and educational materials. Our school got award Energy saving to build solar panels fields. Solar panels contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the school, decreasing reliance on non-renewable energy sources. We have also great teachers.... Read 42 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 9

• Students 8,645