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Best Public Schools in Rockford, IL (2026)
Public School Review - Established 2003

Best Rockford Public Schools (2026)

For the 2026 school year, there are 46 public schools serving 28,467 students in Rockford, IL (there are 27 private schools, serving 5,863 private students). 82% of all K-12 students in Rockford, IL are educated in public schools (compared to the IL state average of 88%).
The top-ranked public schools in Rockford, IL are Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, Thurgood Marshall School and Montessori Elementary School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Rockford, IL public schools have an average math proficiency score of 11% (versus the Illinois public school average of 27%), and reading proficiency score of 16% (versus the 30% statewide average). Schools in Rockford have an average ranking of 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of Illinois public schools.
Minority enrollment is 76% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Black), which is more than the Illinois public school average of 55% (majority Hispanic).

Best Public Schools in Rockford, IL (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Thurgood Marshall Elementary School
(Math: 90-94% | Reading: 80-84%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
4704 N Rockton Ave
Rockford, IL 61103
(815) 966-3370
Gr: 1-4 | 374 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 55%
Rank: #22.
Thurgood Marshall School
(Math: 82% | Reading: 82%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
4664 N Rockton Ave
Rockford, IL 61103
(815) 490-5400
Gr: 5-8 | 514 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 43%
Rank: #33.
Montessori Elementary School
(Math: 27% | Reading: 27%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
2021 Hawthorne Dr
Rockford, IL 61107
(815) 654-4906
Gr: PK-8 | 660 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 49%
Rank: #44.
Brookview Elementary School
(Math: 19% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1750 Madron Rd
Rockford, IL 61107
(815) 229-2492
Gr: K-5 | 484 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 61%
Rank: #55.
Spring Creek Elementary School
(Math: 22% | Reading: 24%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
5222 Spring Creek Rd
Rockford, IL 61114
(815) 654-4960
Gr: K-5 | 523 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 60%
Rank: #66.
Auburn High School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 25%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
5110 Auburn St
Rockford, IL 61101
(815) 966-3300
Gr: 9-12 | 1,957 student Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 74%
Rank: #77.
Cherry Valley Elementary School
(Math: 20% | Reading: 24%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
6754 Armer Dr
Rockford, IL 61109
(815) 332-4938
Gr: K-5 | 676 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 60%
Rank: #88.
Haskell Elementary School
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
515 Maple St
Rockford, IL 61103
(815) 966-3355
Gr: K-5 | 301 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 70%
Rank: #99.
Guilford High School
(Math: 17% | Reading: 19%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
5620 Spring Creek Rd
Rockford, IL 61114
(815) 654-4870
Gr: 9-12 | 2,216 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 65%
Rank: #1010.
Clifford P Carlson Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
4015 Pepper Dr
Rockford, IL 61114
(815) 654-4955
Gr: K-5 | 390 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 72%
Rank: #1111.
Arthur Froberg Elementary School
(Math: 10% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
4555 20th St
Rockford, IL 61109
(815) 874-2464
Gr: K-5 | 426 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 63%
Rank: #1212.
West View Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 17%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
1720 Halsted Rd
Rockford, IL 61103
(815) 654-4945
Gr: K-5 | 521 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 78%
Rank: #1313.
Maud E Johnson Elementary School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
3805 Rural St
Rockford, IL 61107
(815) 229-2485
Gr: K-5 | 425 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 70%
Rank: #1414.
Swan Hillman Elementary School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 19%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
3701 Green Dale Dr
Rockford, IL 61109
(815) 229-2835
Gr: K-5 | 581 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 88%
Rank: #1515.
C Henry Bloom Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 10-14%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
2912 Brendenwood Rd
Rockford, IL 61107
(815) 229-2170
Gr: K-5 | 426 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 75%
Rank: #1616.
Gregory Elementary School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 17%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
4820 Carol Ct
Rockford, IL 61108
(815) 229-2176
Gr: K-5 | 418 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 84%
Rank: #1717.
Eisenhower Middle School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 18%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
3525 Spring Creek Rd
Rockford, IL 61107
(815) 229-2450
Gr: 6-8 | 963 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 61%
Rank: #1818.
Jackson Charter School
Charter School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 15-19%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
315 Summit St
Rockford, IL 61107
(815) 316-0093
Gr: K-5 | 243 students Student-teacher ratio: 49:1 Minority enrollment: 94%
Rank: #1919.
Legacy Academy Of Excellence Charter
Charter School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 10-14%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
4029 Prairie Rd
Rockford, IL 61102
(815) 961-1100
Gr: K-8 | 234 students Student-teacher ratio: 29:1 Minority enrollment: 85%
Rank: #20 - 2120. - 21.
Barbour Two-way Lang Immersion
(Math: 8% | Reading: 10%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
1506 Clover Ave
Rockford, IL 61102
(815) 490-4100
Gr: K-8 | 628 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 94%
Rank: #20 - 2120. - 21.
R K Welsh Elementary School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 10%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
2100 Huffman Blvd
Rockford, IL 61103
(815) 966-3260
Gr: K-5 | 483 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 81%
Rank: #2222.
Whitehead Elementary School
(Math: 5% | Reading: 12%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
2325 Ohio Pkwy
Rockford, IL 61108
(815) 229-2840
Gr: K-5 | 678 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 88%
Rank: #2323.
Bernard W Flinn Middle School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 10%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
2525 Ohio Pkwy
Rockford, IL 61108
(815) 229-2800
Gr: 6-8 | 807 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 63%
Rank: #2424.
Rolling Green
(Math: 4% | Reading: 13%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
3615 W Gate Pkwy
Rockford, IL 61108
(815) 229-2881
Gr: K-5 | 505 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 57%
Rank: #2525.
Galapagos Rockford Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 5% | Reading: 10%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
2605 School St
Rockford, IL 61101
(815) 708-7946
Gr: K-8 | 384 students Student-teacher ratio: 32:1 Minority enrollment: 91%
Rank: #2626.
Rockford East High School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 8%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
2929 Charles St
Rockford, IL 61108
(815) 229-2100
Gr: 9-12 | 1,719 student Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #2727.
Roosevelt Center
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 6-9% )
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
978 Haskell Ave
Rockford, IL 61103
(815) 966-3251
Gr: 9-12 | 60 students Student-teacher ratio: 1:1 Minority enrollment: 88%
Rank: #2828.
Conklin Elementary School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 6-9%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
3003 Halsted Rd
Rockford, IL 61101
(815) 654-4860
Gr: K-6 | 372 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #2929.
West Middle School
(Math: 2% | Reading: 11%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1900 N Rockton Ave
Rockford, IL 61103
(815) 966-3200
Gr: 6-8 | 793 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 80%
Rank: #30 - 3230. - 32.
Julia Lathrop Elementary School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
2603 Clover Ave
Rockford, IL 61102
(815) 966-3285
Gr: K-5 | 357 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 88%
Rank: #30 - 3230. - 32.
Lewis Lemon Elementary School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1993 Mulberry St
Rockford, IL 61101
(815) 967-8000
Gr: K-5 | 378 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 90%
Rank: #30 - 3230. - 32.
Mcintosh Elementary School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
525 N Pierpont Ave
Rockford, IL 61101
(815) 966-3275
Gr: K-5 | 398 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 86%
Rank: #3333.
Washington Elementary School
(Math: 5% | Reading: 2%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1421 West St
Rockford, IL 61102
(815) 966-3740
Gr: K-5 | 523 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 95%
Rank: #3434.
Riverdahl Elementary School
(Math: 3% | Reading: 7%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
3520 Kishwaukee St
Rockford, IL 61109
(815) 229-2870
Gr: K-5 | 535 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 75%
Rank: #3535.
Abraham Lincoln Middle School
(Math: 2% | Reading: 7%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1500 Charles St
Rockford, IL 61104
(815) 229-2400
Gr: 6-8 | 736 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 85%

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top-ranked public schools in Rockford, IL?
The top-ranked public schools in Rockford, IL include Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, Thurgood Marshall School and Montessori Elementary School.
How many public schools are located in Rockford?
46 public schools are located in Rockford.
What percentage of students in Rockford go to public school?
82% of all K-12 students in Rockford are educated in public schools (compared to the IL state average of 88%).
What is the racial composition of students in Rockford?
Rockford public schools minority enrollment is 76% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Black), which is more than the Illinois public schools average of 55% (majority Hispanic).
Which public schools in Rockford are often viewed compared to one another?

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