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Dakota Elementary School

Q: Is Dakota Elementary School a good school?

Dakota Elementary School ranks 719 th of 1737 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-6

719^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,737 Illinois Elementary Schools

Better than 59% of Illinois elementary schools

Summary

Dakota Elementary School is a 410-student school in Dakota, Illinois, serving prekindergarten through grade 6 among several nearby rural communities. Its most important academic finding is that results have risen substantially, and students now perform above the state in both English language arts (ELA) and math.

Dakota is especially strong in grade 4: ELA proficiency was 70%, 14 points above the state, and math was 59%, 17 points above. Fifth-grade science was another bright spot at 58%, compared with 48% statewide; only Lena-Winslow Elementary School scored higher among nearby schools with reported results. Across all grades, Dakota’s ELA was 61% and math 48%, versus 56% and 40% statewide. Compared with Dakota CUSD 201, the school was 2 points lower in ELA but 1 point higher in math. Locally, its all-grades results were strong but not the highest: ELA trailed Lena-Winslow and Durand Elementary School, while math trailed those schools and Pecatonica Elementary School. Grade 3 results were above state levels but ranked fourth among eight nearby schools in both subjects. All-grades local comparisons are less direct because schools serve different grade spans.

From 2023–2024 to 2025–2026, Dakota’s ELA proficiency rose from 36% to 61%, a 25-point gain, while math increased from 33% to 48%, a 15-point gain. SchoolDigger placed Dakota at the 59th statewide percentile and awarded it 3 stars in 2025–2026; it ranked fourth among ten nearby schools with recent rankings. SchoolDigger’s group rankings show a notably higher statewide standing for Low Socio Economic Status Students: the 89th percentile, 30 points above Dakota’s overall percentile. For White Students, the ranking was the 22nd percentile, 37 points below overall. These are measures of the school’s standing in serving each group. Other context: the student–teacher ratio was 12.6 in 2024–2025, and 36% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible that year, compared with a 49% nearby-school average. Chronic absenteeism was 8% in 2025–2026, below the state’s 24%.

410

Students ?

12.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,469

Per pupil spending ?

35.6%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

95.3%

Measles protection (all grades) (2025-26)

400 Campus Dr
Dakota, IL 61018-9803

(844) 632-5682

District: Dakota CUSD 201

Students who attend Dakota Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Dakota Junior Senior High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.2%

Two or more races:

4.4%

Hispanic:

3.4%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare Dakota Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 68th percentile in 2016 → 59th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Illinois average (56% vs 48% meeting standards)

✓Above the Illinois median (59th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 9 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school56%

District avg56%

Illinois avg48%

719^th of 1,737

Illinois public elementary schools ?

Top 41%▼ down 9 pts since 2016

From top 32% (2016) to top 41% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

287^th of 738Dakota CUSD 201 among Illinois districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	56.6	719 of 1737	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	55.9	890 of 2056	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.2	774 of 2067	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	62.9	696 of 2077	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	78.8	404 of 2082	80.6%	★★★★☆
2021	52.6	809 of 1948	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.6	705 of 2086	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.9	732 of 2037	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2017	62.1	698 of 2044	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	63.7	663 of 2046	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2015	67.4	571 of 2052	72.2%	★★★★☆
2014	81.1	364 of 2093	82.6%	★★★★☆
2013	74.2	549 of 2167	74.7%	★★★★☆
2012	79.4	377 of 2166	82.6%	★★★★☆
2011	81.9	276 of 2147	87.1%	★★★★☆
2010	81.2	291 of 2139	86.4%	★★★★☆
2009	79.1	385 of 2120	81.8%	★★★★☆
2008	76.2	491 of 2092	76.5%	★★★★☆
2007	69.8	712 of 2095	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	70.4	692 of 2086	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2005	72.9	571 of 2022	71.8%	★★★★☆
2004	63.1	895 of 2030	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2003	68.9	747 of 2020	63.0%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2023	66.3	196 of 907	78.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	54.6	566 of 1286	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.7	863 of 1942	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.6	579 of 1942	70.2%	★★★★☆
2023	63.4	632 of 1957	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	79.9	344 of 1970	82.5%	★★★★☆
2021	45.5	835 of 1680	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.5	654 of 2019	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.9	773 of 1964	60.6%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	81.4	115 of 1001	88.5%	★★★★☆
2025	61.8	585 of 1800	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	63.0	493 of 1793	72.5%	★★★★☆
2023	64.0	472 of 1808	73.9%	★★★★☆
2022	76.4	215 of 1763	87.8%	★★★★☆
2021	73.5	200 of 1514	86.8%	★★★★☆
2019	68.2	396 of 1816	78.2%	★★★★☆
2018	62.9	484 of 1765	72.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	45.6	699 of 1311	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	54.9	844 of 1947	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	45.6	979 of 1959	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.4	762 of 1984	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	74.4	436 of 1977	77.9%	★★★★☆
2021	54.0	655 of 1707	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.6	652 of 2019	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.5	616 of 1972	68.8%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	57.5	440 of 1292	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	38.2	678 of 1195	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	76.0	103 of 763	86.5%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2026	28.0	891 of 1149	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.0	1006 of 1389	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	36.9	910 of 1392	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.6	792 of 1419	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	63.8	457 of 1425	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.6	828 of 1308	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.4	822 of 1462	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.7	889 of 1463	39.2%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)89th percentile+30 vs school

Disabled (2023)78th percentile+12 vs school

Special Education (2025)66th percentile+9 vs school

Female (2026)56th percentile-3 vs school

Male (2026)47th percentile-12 vs school

White (2026)22nd percentile-36 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts61%+4 vs state

Science58%+11 vs state

Mathematics48%+8 vs state

★

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Schools Near Dakota Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				ISA Science (2026)	IAR English Language Arts (2026)						IAR Mathematics (2026)						Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2026)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISA Science 5th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 3rd Grade	IAR English Language Arts 4th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 5th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 6th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	IAR English Language Arts All Grades	IAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	IAR Mathematics 4th Grade	IAR Mathematics 5th Grade	IAR Mathematics 6th Grade	IAR Mathematics 7th Grade	IAR Mathematics All Grades	Vaccination: Measles protection (all grades)	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Dakota Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	400 Campus Dr	Dakota	61018	Stephenson County	Dakota CUSD 201	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(844) 632-5682	410	33	12.6	35.6%	374 (91.2%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.4%)	56.6	719^th of 1737 public elementary schools	58.6%		55.9	890^th of 2056 public elementary schools	56.7%	171	58.2	51.7	69.6	62.5	59.6		60.7	53.3	58.9	39.3	40.4		48.0	95.3%		$13,469	$737	$12,732
Center Elementary School	Public	K-5	718 E Illinois St	Freeport	61032	Stephenson County	Freeport School District 145	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 232-0480	262	22	12.0	61.5%	119 (45.4%)	65 (24.8%)	31 (11.8%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (16.8%)	31.5	1165^th of 1737 public elementary schools	32.9%		52.7	950^th of 2056 public elementary schools	53.8%	215	37.9	46.7	49.1	44.8			46.8	50.0	41.5	25.9			38.1	95.4%		$17,683	$1,884	$15,799
Orangeville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	201 S Orange St	Orangeville	61060	Stephenson County	Orangeville CUSD 203	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 789-4613	155	11	14.0	36.1%	141 (91.0%)	2 (1.3%)	8 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.6%)	45.8	908^th of 1737 public elementary schools	47.7%		55.6	895^th of 2056 public elementary schools	56.5%	13	46.2	46.2		65.4			57.6	46.2		42.3			47.0	98%		$17,544	$1,993	$15,551
Blackhawk Elementary School	Public	K-5	1401 S Blackhawk Ave	Freeport	61032	Stephenson County	Freeport School District 145	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 232-0490	361	26	13.9	59.8%	102 (28.3%)	52 (14.4%)	157 (43.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (13.6%)	11.6	1571^st of 1737 public elementary schools	9.6%		20.7	1650^th of 2056 public elementary schools	19.7%	79		22.4	35.7	26.7			28.3	34.5	28.6				24.5	93.6%		$17,612	$1,884	$15,728
Lincoln-Douglas Elementary School	Public	K-5	1700 W Laurel St	Freeport	61032	Stephenson County	Freeport School District 145	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 232-0370	325	26	12.6	65.5%	136 (41.8%)	119 (36.6%)	19 (5.8%)	6 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	44 (13.5%)	12.8	1543^rd of 1737 public elementary schools	11.2%		17.5	1731^st of 2056 public elementary schools	15.8%	188	29.2		32.8	41.7			31.4	27.7	24.1				23.5	95.7%		$18,721	$1,884	$16,837
Empire Elementary School	Public	K-5	1325 Empire St	Freeport	61032	Stephenson County	Freeport School District 145	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 232-0380	295	25	12.0	66.4%	133 (45.1%)	77 (26.1%)	43 (14.6%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (13.2%)	6.8	1667^th of 1737 public elementary schools	4.0%		7.5	2013^th of 2056 public elementary schools	2.1%	346	27.5		26.7	25.0			23.7						13.3	96.3%		$19,469	$1,884	$17,585
Jones-Farrar an International Baccalaureate World School	Public	K-7	1717 W Eby St	Freeport	61032	Stephenson County	Freeport School District 145	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 232-0610	350	28	12.6	52.6%	171 (48.9%)	88 (25.1%)	24 (6.9%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (18.3%)	6.1	1683^rd of 1737 public elementary schools	3.1%		22.6	1601^st of 2056 public elementary schools	22.1%	82	24.6	18.3	18.8	31.9	24.3	28.3	24.4	26.7		14.7		20.8	15.9	97.5%		$19,162	$1,884	$17,277
Pecatonica Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	721 Reed St	Pecatonica	61063	Winnebago County	Pecatonica CUSD 321	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 239-2550	307	26	11.8	34.9%	272 (88.6%)	3 (1.0%)	19 (6.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	62.7	621^st of 1737 public elementary schools	64.2%		70	601^st of 2056 public elementary schools	70.8%	20		71.1	51.3				58.7	68.9	48.7				56.2	92.9%		$16,673	$743	$15,930
Durand Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	200 W South St	Durand	61024	Winnebago County	Durand CUSD 322	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 248-2171	281	25	11.2	47.7%	236 (84.0%)	1 (0.4%)	18 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (8.5%)	60.9	657^th of 1737 public elementary schools	62.2%		76.9	460^th of 2056 public elementary schools	77.6%	197	41.4	91.4	69.8	51.7	59.6		68.2	91.4	55.8		34.0		52.6	95.8%		$20,557	$897	$19,661
German Valley Grade School	Public	PK-K	601 E Main St	Forreston	61030	Stephenson County	Forrestville Valley CUSD 221	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(815) 362-2279	70	5	14.1	28.6%	61 (87.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.3%)								(n/a)														87.5%		$17,790	$510	$17,280

Frequently Asked Questions about Dakota Elementary School

Is Dakota Elementary School a good school?

Dakota Elementary School ranks 719^th of 1737 Illinois elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Dakota Elementary School in?

Dakota CUSD 201

How many students attend Dakota Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 410 students attended Dakota Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Dakota Elementary School?

Students at Dakota Elementary School are 91% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Dakota Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Dakota Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Dakota Junior Senior High School

Rate Dakota Elementary School!

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Latest Illinois data All new data »

2025–26 school spending dataNewOct 30, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 30, 2026

2025–26 ACT, IAR, ISA & PreACT Secure test scoresNewOct 30, 2026

2013–14 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.