Top Rankings
Sterling Community Unit School District 5 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Illinois for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there is 1 public high school serving 996 students in Sterling Community Unit School District 5. This district's average high testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public high schools in Illinois.
Public High School in Sterling Community Unit School District 5 have an average math proficiency score of 19% (versus the Illinois public high school average of 26%), and reading proficiency score of 17% (versus the 29% statewide average).
Public High School in Sterling Community Unit School District 5 have a Graduation Rate of 92%, which is more than the Illinois average of 87%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Sterling High School, with 90-94% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in Illinois or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 48% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Illinois public high school average of 55% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (IL)
# Schools
6 Schools
1,030 Schools
# Students
3,228 Students
605,599 Students
# Teachers
203 Teachers
42,717 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Sterling Community Unit School District 5, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 864 school districts in Illinois (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has increased from 83% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#620 out of 865 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
21%
27%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
18%
30%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
50%
50%
Graduation Rate
92%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.58
0.69
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
6%
% Hispanic
36%
29%
% Black
2%
16%
% White
55%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
4%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $17,720 in this school district is less than the state median of $22,423. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,299 is less than the state median of $21,662. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$57 MM
$41,381 MM
Spending
$53 MM
$39,976 MM
Revenue / Student
$17,720
$22,423
Spending / Student
$16,299
$21,662
Best Sterling Community Unit School District 5 Public High Schools (2025-26)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Sterling High School
(Math: 19% | Reading: 17%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
1608 4th Ave
Sterling, IL 61081
(815) 625-6800
Sterling, IL 61081
(815) 625-6800
Gr: 9-12 | 996 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 48%
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