Freeport School District 145 Principal Dr. Anna Alvarado (2023) | Freeport School District 145
Freeport School District 145 Principal Dr. Anna Alvarado (2023) | Freeport School District 145
There were 5,725 students enrolled in Stephenson County districts in the 2021-22 school year, of which 1,158 students were absent throughout the year.
The districts located in the county had a dropout rate 9.7%, which was 3% higher than the year before.
Across the county, Freeport School District 145 suffered the most truancy issues (32.8%) in the 2021-22 school year. Meanwhile, Lena Winslow Community Unit School District 202 successfully recorded the lowest truancy rate in the region (2.2%).
Students are generally considered chronically truant if they miss 5% or more of the total number of school days in a year without acceptable excuses.
The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Stephenson County.
In 2022, Illinois had 1,925,415 students enrolled in a total of 3,977 schools. There were 130,467 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 15 students, compared to the national average of 1:16.
K-12 enrollment has been declining in Illinois for many years, reflecting demographic changes. Combined public and private K-12 enrollment dropped 3% between the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 school years (60,900 students), far more than the typical 0.5% to 1.5% annual enrollment declines in Illinois over the last five years.
| District | No. of students enrolled | Chronic truancy rates |
|---|---|---|
| Freeport School District 145 | 3,427 | 32.8% |
| Orangeville Community Unit School District 203 | 312 | 8.1% |
| Pearl City Community Unit School District 200 | 416 | 6.1% |
| Dakota Community Unit School District 201 | 771 | 4.2% |
| Lena Winslow Community Unit School District 202 | 799 | 2.2% |
Alerts Sign-up