Best Schools in Rockford, Illinois
62 schools · 33 Elementary · 7 Middle · 7 High · 15 Other
Choosing a school in Rockford?
Use this page to compare every school in Rockford 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.
Haskell Elementary School
Elementary · Rockford Sd 205. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Thurgood Marshall Elementary
Elementary · Rockford Sd 205. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Thurgood Marshall School
Middle · Rockford Sd 205. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Rockford for 2026 are Haskell Elementary School (8.5/10), Thurgood Marshall Elementary (8.1/10), and Thurgood Marshall School (8.0/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 40 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
62
44 public · 18 private
Avg Score
5.3
out of 10
Median Home
$124,750
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Schools
62
44 public · 18 private
Avg Score
5.3
out of 10
Median Home
$124,750
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Rates 8.5/10 despite 69% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.4 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 Rockford schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +18.8 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Rockford schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Rockford
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 40 rated schools; 62 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haskell Elementary School | 8.5 / 10 |
| 2 | Thurgood Marshall Elementary | 8.1 / 10 |
| 3 | Thurgood Marshall School | 8.0 / 10 |
| 4 | Montessori Elementary School | 7.2 / 10 |
| 5 | Brookview Elem School | 6.7 / 10 |
| 6 | Clifford P Carlson Elem School | 6.7 / 10 |
| 7 | Barbour Two-Way Lang Immersion | 6.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Rolling Green | 6.1 / 10 |
| 9 | Maud E Johnson Elem School | 5.9 / 10 |
| 10 | West View Elem School | 5.9 / 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
- 5.3/10
- Median household income
- $56,379
- Median home value
- $124,750
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 22%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 58%
13% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Rockford compares
Illinois rank
#391 of 450
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-1.1
below Illinois avg (6.4)
Median household income
$56k
69% of Illinois median
Schools in this city
61
Education Snapshot
Rockford, IllinoisRockford operates 61 schools through a single district — 32 elementary, 7 middle, 7 high schools, and 15 alternative or combined campuses — serving roughly 31,331 students. The district's average MySchoolScout composite rating of 5.3/10 trails the Illinois state average of 6.2/10 by nearly a full point, a below-average standing that aligns with the city's economic context: Rockford's median household income of $60,282 sits 30% below the state median of $86,588, and only 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Three charter schools operate within the city, adding a narrow layer of school-choice options to a market otherwise defined by a single public operator. Families evaluating options here will find real variation within Rockford's 60 scored campuses — the composite average is a starting reference, not a ceiling on what individual schools achieve.
Rockford SD 205 runs Rockford's public schools
44 public schools. Rockford SD 205 is the only district on the page.
Every assigned public school in Rockford is a Rockford SD 205 school (44 of 44).
Among 40 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 2.1 to 8.5 — the spread is inside Rockford, not a citywide average.
About Schools in Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois has 44 ranked public schools, giving families a broad field to evaluate. The city's schools average 6.0 out of 10, which places the overall landscape in moderate territory. Performance is spread across that range, but a meaningful pocket of stronger options exists at the top end — 9 schools, or 20% of ranked schools, score 7 or higher.
Elementary options lead Rockford's strongest performers. Thurgood Marshall Elementary sits at the top of the city with a score of 7.9 out of 10, the highest in Rockford. Haskell Elementary follows closely at 7.7, and Montessori Elementary School rounds out a strong trio at 7.3. Swan Hillman Elementary and Gregory Elementary both score above 7.0 as well, giving parents in the city real choices among high-performing elementary schools. The concentration of top scores at the elementary level means families with younger children have the most options when targeting above-average schools.
The 6.0 city average signals that performance varies considerably across Rockford's public schools. With 80% of ranked schools falling below the 7-point threshold, the gap between the top tier and the broader field is real and worth factoring into any school search. Parents should pay close attention to individual school scores rather than assuming neighborhood proximity puts them near one of the stronger options.
Practically speaking, Rockford parents researching elementary placements have the clearest path to high-performing schools — five ranked elementary schools score above 7.0, and the top two, Thurgood Marshall and Haskell, are competitive by any city comparison. Families should map those schools against their address and transportation options early in the process. The 20% figure for schools scoring 7 or above is a useful benchmark: Rockford has genuine standouts, but they represent a minority of the total. Targeting those specific schools, rather than relying on the city average, is the most practical strategy for parents who prioritize academic performance.
Elementary Schools
33 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 285 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.5 |
| 2 | 378 students · 1st–4th | 8.1 |
| 3 | 636 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.2 |
| 4 | 457 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.7 |
| 5 | 360 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.7 |
| 6 | 629 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.2 |
| 7 | 518 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.1 |
| 8 | 385 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.9 |
| 9 | 447 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.9 |
| 10 | 634 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.8 |
Show all 33 elementary schools in Rockford
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 483 students · 5th–8th | 8.0 |
| 2 | 800 students · 6th–8th | 5.0 |
| 3 | 705 students · 6th–8th | 4.7 |
| 4 | 794 students · 6th–8th | 4.4 |
| 5 | 366 students · 6th–8th | 3.9 |
| 6 | 985 students · 6th–8th | 3.7 |
| 7 | 1,032 students · 6th–8th | 3.5 |
High Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55 students · 9th–12th | 5.5 | ||
| 2 | 1,985 students · 9th–12th | 4.0 | ||
| 3 | 2,161 students · 9th–12th | 3.9 | ||
| 4 | 1,708 students · 9th–12th | 3.5 | ||
| 5 | 2,170 students · 9th–12th | 3.1 | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Boylan Catholic H. S.Private 586 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 35 students · 6th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
15 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 475 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 5.0 | ||
| 2 | 231 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.7 | ||
| 3 | 460 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 4.6 | ||
| 4 | 497 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 4.5 | ||
| 5 | 483 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 4.5 | ||
Private Schools10 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Keith Country Day SchoolPrivate 195 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Rockford Iqra' SchoolPrivate 109 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | 86 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | Cathedral Baptist SchoolPrivate 94 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 5 | Rockford Lutheran SchoolPrivate 695 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Show all 15 other schools in Rockford
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Schools in Rockford
Rockford, Illinois · 62 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 8 ZIP codes
Median Income
$56,379
Median Home Value
$124,750
Median Rent
$984/mo
Population
178,528
College Educated
22%
Homeownership
58%
Avg Commute
22 min
Poverty Rate
21.0%
Community Profile
Rockford has a median household income of $56,379. It is a community where 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $124,750, with a median rent of $984/month. The area has a poverty rate of 21.0%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Illinois
- Elementary
- 33
- Middle
- 7
- High
- 7
- Other
- 15
Resources
School District
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 Rockford, Illinois
How many schools are in Rockford, Illinois?
Rockford has 62 schools, including 44 public and 18 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Rockford, Illinois?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Rockford is 5.3 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 Rockford, Illinois?
The top-ranked school in Rockford on MySchoolScout is Haskell Elementary School with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best elementary school in Rockford, Illinois?
The top-ranked elementary school in Rockford on MySchoolScout is Haskell Elementary School with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best middle school in Rockford, Illinois?
The top-ranked middle school in Rockford on MySchoolScout is Thurgood Marshall School with a composite score of 8.0/10.
What is the best high school in Rockford, Illinois?
The top-ranked high school in Rockford on MySchoolScout is Roosevelt Center with a composite score of 5.5/10.
How many school districts serve Rockford, Illinois?
Rockford is served by 1 school district: Rockford Sd 205.
What is the education level in Rockford, Illinois?
According to Census data, 22% of adults in Rockford have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Rockford, Illinois?
The median household income in Rockford is approximately $56,379 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Rockford, Illinois?
Yes, Rockford has 18 private schools alongside 44 public schools. The top-rated private school is Keith Country Day School with a score of 8.4/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Rockford, Illinois?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Rockford is 16.0:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Rockford, 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.