Best Schools in Cicero, Illinois
19 schools · 13 Elementary · 3 Middle · 1 High · 2 Other
Choosing a school in Cicero?
Use this page to compare every school in Cicero by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Abe Lincoln Elem School
Elementary · Cicero Sd 99. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Goodwin Elementary School
Elementary · Cicero Sd 99. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Cicero East Elem School
Middle · Cicero Sd 99. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Cicero for 2026 are Abe Lincoln Elem School (7.9/10), Goodwin Elementary School (7.0/10), and Cicero East Elem School (6.8/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 15 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
19
17 public · 2 private
Avg Score
6.0
out of 10
Median Home
$236,000
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Schools
19
17 public · 2 private
Avg Score
6.0
out of 10
Median Home
$236,000
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Rates 7.9/10 despite 78% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.4 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Cicero schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +9.3 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Cicero schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Cicero
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 15 rated schools; 19 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abe Lincoln Elem School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 2 | Goodwin Elementary School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 3 | Cicero East Elem School | 6.8 / 10 |
| 4 | Columbus East Elem School | 6.8 / 10 |
| 5 | T Roosevelt Elem School | 6.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Cicero West Elementary School | 6.7 / 10 |
| 7 | Columbus West Elementary School | 6.7 / 10 |
| 8 | Sherlock Elem School | 6.6 / 10 |
| 9 | Unity JR High School | 6.4 / 10 |
| 10 | Drexel Elem School | 6.3 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.0/10
- Median household income
- $68,548
- Median home value
- $236,000
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 11%
- Avg commute
- 30 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 55%
11% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Cicero compares
Illinois rank
#293 of 450
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.3
below Illinois avg (6.4)
Median household income
$69k
84% of Illinois median
Schools in this city
19
Cicero SD 99 runs 88% of Cicero's public schools
Cicero touches 2 districts, but Cicero SD 99 is the one most addresses actually attend.
Cicero SD 99 accounts for 15 of 17 public schools (88%). The other 1 district holds the remaining 2.
Among 15 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 4.7 to 7.9 — the spread is inside Cicero, not a citywide average.
- Cicero SD 9915 public · 88%
- J S Morton Hsd 2012 public · 12%
About Schools in Cicero, Illinois
Cicero's public school system spans 17 ranked schools, covering the full K–12 range from neighborhood elementary programs to the district's high school. The system skews toward the elementary level, where most of the stronger performers sit. Parents entering the search will find a concentrated geographic footprint — useful for households weighing commute against school quality.
Performance across the district lands at an average score of 5.3 out of 10, which places Cicero in the lower-middle tier of Illinois urban school systems. Only one school — 6% of the ranked total — clears the 7-point mark. That school is Liberty Elementary, the district's top performer at 7.2 out of 10. For parents with elementary-age children, Liberty is the clearest standout and worth prioritizing in a school search.
Just below Liberty, a cluster of schools scores in the mid-6s. Columbus East Elementary (middle school, 6.6), Warren Park School (6.6), and Sherlock Elementary (6.5) all represent meaningful steps above the district average. At the high school level, J. Sterling Morton East High School scores 6.5 — the strongest secondary option in the data and a solid anchor for families planning ahead. The gap between these mid-tier schools and the lower end of the district is real; parents should check individual school scores rather than relying on the district average alone.
For parents in an active search, the practical read is this: elementary options offer the most differentiation. Liberty Elementary gives families a genuine top-tier choice at 7.2, and the 6.5–6.6 cluster provides reasonable alternatives if attendance boundaries or logistics rule out Liberty. High school choice is more limited — Morton East is the primary option, and at 6.5 it performs above the district mean. Families weighing Cicero against neighboring communities should factor in that 94% of the district's schools fall below the 7-point threshold, making school-level selection — not just city selection — the more consequential decision here.
Elementary Schools
13 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 715 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.9 |
| 2 | 489 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.0 |
| 3 | 468 students · 3rd–6th | 6.8 |
| 4 | 478 students · Pre-K–3rd | 6.7 |
| 5 | 549 students · Pre-K–4th | 6.7 |
| 6 | 580 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.6 |
| 7 | 398 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.3 |
| 8 | 716 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.2 |
| 9 | 485 students · Pre-K–3rd | 6.1 |
| 10 | 650 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.9 |
Show all 13 elementary schools in Cicero
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 413 students · 4th–6th | 6.8 |
| 2 | 366 students · 4th–6th | 6.8 |
| 3 | 1,948 students · 7th–8th | 6.4 |
High Schools
1 school| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,474 students · 10th–12th | 4.7 |
Other Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,038 students · 9th–9th | 5.8 |
| 2 | 177 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 5.0 |
Schools in Cicero
Cicero, Illinois · 19 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$68,548
Median Home Value
$236,000
Median Rent
$1,121/mo
Population
83,223
College Educated
11%
Homeownership
55%
Avg Commute
30 min
Poverty Rate
13.1%
Community Profile
Cicero has a median household income of $68,548. It is a community where 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $236,000, with a median rent of $1,121/month. The area has a poverty rate of 13.1%. The average commute for residents is 30 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Illinois
- Elementary
- 13
- Middle
- 3
- High
- 1
- Other
- 2
Resources
Other Major Cities in Illinois
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Cicero, Illinois
How many schools are in Cicero, Illinois?
Cicero has 19 schools, including 17 public and 2 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Cicero, Illinois?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Cicero is 6.0 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Cicero, Illinois?
The top-ranked school in Cicero on MySchoolScout is Abe Lincoln Elem School with a composite score of 7.9/10.
What is the best elementary school in Cicero, Illinois?
The top-ranked elementary school in Cicero on MySchoolScout is Abe Lincoln Elem School with a composite score of 7.9/10.
What is the best middle school in Cicero, Illinois?
The top-ranked middle school in Cicero on MySchoolScout is Cicero East Elem School with a composite score of 6.8/10.
What is the best high school in Cicero, Illinois?
The top-ranked high school in Cicero on MySchoolScout is J Sterling Morton East High Sch with a composite score of 4.7/10.
How many school districts serve Cicero, Illinois?
Cicero is served by 2 school districts: Cicero Sd 99, J S Morton Hsd 201.
What is the education level in Cicero, Illinois?
According to Census data, 11% of adults in Cicero have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Cicero, Illinois?
The median household income in Cicero is approximately $68,548 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Cicero, Illinois?
Yes, Cicero has 2 private schools alongside 17 public schools. The top-rated private school is Our Lady of Charity School with a score of 5.1/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Cicero, Illinois?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Cicero is 15.2:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Cicero, Illinois?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Illinois Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.