Sterling CUSD 5 School District

410 E Le Fevre Rd
Sterling, IL 61081-1391
(District boundaries shown in map)
3/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Sterling CUSD 5 School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Illinois for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there is 1 public middle school serving 718 students in Sterling CUSD 5 School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in Illinois.
Public Middle School in Sterling CUSD 5 School District have an average math proficiency score of 15% (versus the Illinois public middle school average of 24%), and reading proficiency score of 19% (versus the 29% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 46% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Illinois public middle school average of 61% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (IL)
# Schools
6 Schools
1,600 Schools
# Students
3,228 Students
621,275 Students
# Teachers
203 Teachers
47,956 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

District Rank

Sterling CUSD 5 School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 844 school districts in Illinois (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2020-2021 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 88% has increased from 81% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (IL)
#605 out of 852 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of Sterling CUSD 5  School District, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
(20-21)
18%
28%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Sterling CUSD 5  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Illinois by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
18%
30%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Sterling CUSD 5  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Illinois by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
50%
50%
88%
87%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of Sterling CUSD 5  School District and public school graduation rate of Illinois by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.58
0.71
# American Indian Students
5 Students
1,364 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
n/a
# Asian Students
29 Students
32,125 Students
% Asian Students
1%
5%
# Hispanic Students
1,167 Students
185,771 Students
% Hispanic Students
36%
30%
# Black Students
74 Students
133,271 Students
% Black Students
2%
22%
# White Students
1,755 Students
244,693 Students
% White Students
55%
39%
# Hawaiian Students
n/a
608 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
198 Students
23,281 Students
% of Two or more races Students
6%
4%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
174
19,756
# Students in K Grade:
215
27,178
# Students in 1st Grade:
227
28,250
# Students in 2nd Grade:
219
29,179
# Students in 3rd Grade:
217
29,629
# Students in 4th Grade:
223
30,553
# Students in 5th Grade:
239
38,342
# Students in 6th Grade:
234
109,327
# Students in 7th Grade:
236
135,557
# Students in 8th Grade:
246
137,502
# Students in 9th Grade:
257
9,488
# Students in 10th Grade:
254
9,079
# Students in 11th Grade:
246
8,909
# Students in 12th Grade:
241
8,526
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $17,720 in this school district is less than the state median of $21,990. 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 $21,244. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (IL)
Total Revenue
$57 MM
$41,381 MM
This chart displays total revenue of Sterling CUSD 5  School District and median value from total revenues of all school districts in Illinois by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$53 MM
$39,976 MM
This chart displays total spending of Sterling CUSD 5  School District and median value from total spendings of all school districts in Illinois by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$17,720
$21,990
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in Sterling CUSD 5  School District and average revenue per public school student of all school districts in Illinois by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$16,299
$21,244
This chart displays average spending per public school student in Sterling CUSD 5  School District and average spending per public school student of all school districts in Illinois by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best Sterling CUSD 5 School District Public Middle Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Challand Middle School
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
1700 6th Ave
Sterling, IL 61081
(815) 626-3300
Grades: 6-8
| 718 students

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 6 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 3,228 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 46%
  • : 88% (Top 50% in IL)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 18% (Btm 50%)
  • : 18% (Btm 50%)
  • : 50% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IL Dept. of Education

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