Plainfield South High School

Public 9-12

 7800 Caton Farm Rd
       Plainfield, IL  60586-1687


(815) 439-5555

District: Plainfield School District 202

SchoolDigger Rank:
242nd of 699 Illinois High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,913 Help


Feeder schools for Plainfield South High School:

Elementary:    Charles Reed Elementary School
    Meadow View Elementary School
    Ridge Elementary School
    Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Aux Sable Middle School
    Drauden Point Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.5 Help
Number of students:  2,411

Racial breakdown:

White:
44.8%
Hispanic:
31.4%
African American:
16.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  39.2% Help


 See top rated Illinois high schools

 Compare Plainfield South High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Plainfield South High School ranks better than 65.4% of high schools in Illinois. It also ranks 3rd among 4 ranked high schools in the Plainfield School District 202. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.08. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Plainfield South High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Plainfield South High School has the largest high school student body size in the Plainfield School District 202. Student population at Plainfield South High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (44.8%), Hispanic (31.4%), African American (16.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 39.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Plainfield School District 202. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Plainfield South High School is 17.5. 3 high schools in the Plainfield School District 202 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Plainfield South High School employs 137.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Plainfield South High School is $11,913. 2 high schools in the Plainfield School District 202 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Plainfield South High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Plainfield South High School 242nd of 699 Illinois public high schools. (See Plainfield South High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Plainfield School District 202:

SchoolDigger ranks Plainfield School District 202 294th of 823 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Plainfield South High School?

Rank History for Plainfield South High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 56.41 288th 586 50.9%
2004 42.04 406th 592 31.4%
2005 39.99 427th 590 27.6%
2006 38.93 421st 596 29.4%
2007 32.52 462nd 612 24.5%
2008 47.09 381st 624 38.9%
2009 72.28 177th 632 72.0%
2010 72.77 163rd 643 74.7%
2011 60.54 292nd 655 55.4%
2012 41.13 452nd 665 32.0%
2013 58.85 316th 670 52.8%
2014 62.08 264th 670 60.6%
2015 15.75 547th 614 10.9%
2016 50.15 281st 643 56.3%
2017 60.69 236th 642 63.2%
2018 57.95 253rd 647 60.9%
2019 64.50 199th 701 71.6%
2021 53.00 279th 688 59.4%
2022 60.79 249th 699 64.4%
2023 60.08 242nd 699 65.4%
See the entire list of Illinois High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.50 89th 154 42.2%
2019 32.39 106th 165 35.8%
2021 61.87 57th 160 64.4%
2022 34.15 109th 170 35.9%
2023 63.08 56th 163 65.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.70 23rd 151 84.8%
2019 45.06 72nd 183 60.7%
2021 52.71 51st 189 73.0%
2022 40.40 113th 205 44.9%
2023 47.96 84th 217 61.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.83 84th 374 77.5%
2019 48.00 152nd 473 67.9%
2021 32.04 266th 453 41.3%
2022 44.06 195th 493 60.4%
2023 50.49 162nd 476 66.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.30 173rd 585 70.4%
2019 59.04 207th 639 67.6%
2021 43.67 304th 611 50.2%
2022 40.22 387th 626 38.2%
2023 54.89 245th 644 62.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.37 252nd 620 59.4%
2019 67.49 186th 665 72.0%
2021 51.95 270th 639 57.7%
2022 61.30 239th 658 63.7%
2023 62.35 221st 656 66.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 43.62 200th 428 53.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.46 250th 619 59.6%
2019 58.35 236th 675 65.0%
2021 50.09 292nd 653 55.3%
2022 58.18 242nd 664 63.6%
2023 54.95 270th 668 59.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.33 97th 132 26.5%
2019 69.10 42nd 130 67.7%
2021 69.93 42nd 135 68.9%
2022 42.61 92nd 141 34.8%
2023 49.68 71st 134 47.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.95 61st 253 75.9%
2019 63.80 69th 299 76.9%
2021 45.59 108th 281 61.6%
2022 53.12 97th 294 67.0%
2023 61.04 74th 301 75.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.13 127th 291 56.4%
2019 58.39 103rd 317 67.5%
2021 47.37 126th 317 60.3%
2022 56.62 116th 335 65.4%
2023 51.07 138th 333 58.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Plainfield South High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.55 211th 548 61.5%
2019 59.45 183rd 552 66.8%
2021 47.89 242nd 553 56.2%
2022 65.71 153rd 560 72.7%
2023 60.20 193rd 557 65.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Plainfield South High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Saturday, May 28, 2016

Open Quote I just graduated and it's been quite a ride. By "ride", I mean the kind that gets stuck in the middle of the corkscrew and leaves you dangling upside down.
I was an honors student in high school, with a high GPA and a clean record for all 4 years. For some reason, the school believed I was this truant delinquent or something upon me being absent FOR ONE DAY OUT OF MY FOUR YEARS THERE. I unfortunately had to attend a funeral my senior year on the last day of homecoming week and, when I got back that Monday, I was accused of truancy even though I was called in before school started that day. I was reprimanded, interrogated, and utterly humiliated in the midst of grieving, and I would go on to be accused 35-40 times that year--I was, and still am, so humiliated upon having to say I went to this school.
However, like most things we perceive to be bad in this world--taxes, authority, other people--I feel like I did gain something from Plainfield South. It wasn't confidence or dignity or anything cheesy like that--this is what they would want you to say and, in fact, Plainfield South took these things away from me. Despite this, I still had passionate and caring teachers and loyal friends I bonded with inside those damned iron-clad walls. I still had valuable life experiences that will stay with me for a lifetime, though "valuable" is not always synonymous with "pleasant".
Exhibit A: All of our senior incentives were taken away or seriously compromised, though at no fault of our own. For example, they said we couldn't have a senior eating area outside the cafeteria due to the wear and tear of the floors. Their solution was to put tables on the same floor they said was so bad they couldn't put tables on it, smaller tables that were still used daily, but tables nonetheless.
Exhibit B: I was a drama geek in high school as well and I performed many a show on the old stage. It, like every other part of the school, had not been replaced for 15 years when the average lifespan of a stage like that is 12 years max. Chairs and doors IN THE AUDITORIUM ALONE were on their last legs, making interactive shows and concerts a hell of a challenge for our audience and performers.
Exhibit C (Yes, there is an Exhibit C): As honors and AP students, we were pushed significantly harder in order to achieve the school's "college-or-nothing" agenda. They promised us all this crap and they delivered it indeed. It came in the form of scholarship search engines that only really contain expired scholarship offers; lapses in communication between staff, students, and parents; assemblies meant to remind us that we're not hot shit and assemblies that reminded us that we never would be unless we did exactly what they said. Coming from a school that is "all-inclusive," this is quite appalling. With an average ACT score of about 20.3, what do they expect? We won't all be Harvard graduates at the end of this, and that's more than OK.
In closing, I deeply apologize for coming off so brash, but these things need to be addressed. And the "valuable" token of my unpleasant experience? It can be summed up with 3 words:
-Don't
-trust
-anyone.
Go Cougars.... Close Quote


by a student
Monday, May 23, 2016

Open Quote I couldn't wait to graduate from Plainfield South. As the years went on, the quality just kept taking a nosedive and attending this school became too overly cringe-worthy to withstand.

Simply put, the quality in everything -- from the facilities to the resources -- is exceedingly poor. The administration struggles to enforce school policies and is largely ignored by the student body. The cafeteria food is repulsive and is on par with what's served in prison. The social scene is too overly dominated by technology, and the majority of students are ignorant and obnoxious, never going out of their way to include others in their social circles.

Outside of a handful of good teachers, there's plenty here who are so bad that students lose confidence in themselves, feel misguided, and fail. The teachers also have their favorites, and tend to help only those who they like and do well. The school receives so little funding that the resources are slim, and the ones that ARE available show their age and constantly remind students of the school's abysmal financial situation.

On top of all this, students here really feel the stigma of attending a lesser-quality school, especially when rivals -- such as Oswego East -- have significant advantages in quality over them. Plainfield South has been regarded by some as the "worst" high school in the district, but despite that, the school will do anything to look pleasing in the eyes of parents. At the same time, however, they largely ignore student feedback, placing less attention on the problems running amok every school year.

Perhaps Plainfield South's most critical and serious issue, however, is its educational outcomes. The curriculum -- outside of a few specific AP and Honors courses -- does more coddling than challenging, and moreover doesn't prepare students for college. The consolers are horribly incompetent, never going out of their way for students and tending to make screw-ups like leaving transcripts sent to colleges blank (I've heard many stories about this). This is especially frightening because one consoler's mistake could severely ruin a student's chances of attending a specific college. They're clearly disorganized and unprepared for properly helping students get ready for the future.

Plainfield South claims that there's "excellence" in "all" they do and "excellence for all they serve, but I couldn't disagree more. It's clearly behind in quality and truly doesn't live up to its motto, and students are being put at a disadvantage here for the future. I strongly suggest for people to avoid this school. Being a Plainfield South Cougar became less of a privilege for me and more of a burden that I'm now happy to have left behind me now. Close Quote


by a citizen
Thursday, May 19, 2016

Open Quote Plainfield south is a horrible school to go to due to the lack of cleanliness and poor mantainance. For example, in the school's fieldhouse you can still see dry blood stains, left over food, and molds growing out of the floor. Also, when you enter the building, the first thing you see is the dilapidated celling where there is water stains and missing celling tiles. Food in plainfield is the most disgusting food i have ever tasted, there are times that the chicken patty is undercooked and sometimes the milk is either frozen or expired. The school itself is full of jerks, biggots and incompetent people who brought shame to the intellectuals who had worked hard to succeed. To the students who happens to be a gang member or a drug addict that goes to this school you are a shame to yourself and society. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Plainfield South High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 1430 93 40 200 2 n/a n/a 0 1765
2003 1430 93 40 200 2 n/a n/a 0 1765
2004 1950 167 62 345 5 n/a n/a 0 2529
2005 2032 196 73 446 7 n/a n/a 51 2805
2006 1593 175 66 451 4 n/a n/a 36 2325
2007 1456 207 56 510 4 n/a n/a 48 2281
2008 1363 239 57 551 5 n/a n/a 70 2285
2009 1421 244 56 564 2 n/a n/a 81 2368
2010 1458 231 47 588 1 n/a n/a 86 2411
2011 1392 228 56 679 7 1 76 0 2439
2012 1406 230 68 661 2 2 70 0 2439
2013 1411 230 71 676 5 1 67 0 2461
2014 1454 232 92 692 10 1 65 0 2546
2015 1510 237 79 680 8 0 65 0 2579
2016 1498 244 77 692 11 0 71 0 2593
2017 1491 250 72 673 9 0 71 0 2566
2018 1425 275 74 670 9 1 67 0 2521
2019 1345 284 68 657 6 1 68 0 2429
2020 1283 327 63 671 8 1 63 0 2416
2021 1196 359 72 713 8 0 73 0 2421
2022 1165 385 69 733 8 0 76 0 2436
2023 1081 407 72 756 6 0 88 1 2411

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Plainfield South High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 1765 118.0 15.0 0
2003 1765 118.0 15.0 0
2004 2529 149.1 17.0 0
2005 2805 169.5 16.5 0
2006 2325 152.1 15.3 0
2007 2281 139.0 16.4 0
2008 2285 120.0 19.0 0
2009 2368 145.1 16.3 0
2010 2411 139.5 17.2 0
2011 2439 131.9 18.4 24.3
2012 2439 131.7 18.5 23.9
2013 2461 189.6 12.9 22.8
2014 2546 128.5 19.8 24.9
2015 2579 131.0 19.6 29.9
2016 2593 132.0 19.6 25.5
2017 2566 138.0 18.5 28.1
2018 2521 138.8 18.1 27.6
2019 2429 138.4 17.5 26.8
2020 2416 141.3 17.0 28.4
2021 2421 n/a n/a n/a
2022 2436 144.0 16.9 27.1
2023 2411 137.6 17.5 39.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Plainfield South High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 1765 118.0 15.0 0
2003 1765 118.0 15.0 0
2004 2529 149.1 17.0 0
2005 2805 169.5 16.5 0
2006 2325 152.1 15.3 0
2007 2281 139.0 16.4 0
2008 2285 120.0 19.0 0
2009 2368 145.1 16.3 0
2010 2411 139.5 17.2 0
2011 2439 131.9 18.4 24.3
2012 2439 131.7 18.5 23.9
2013 2461 189.6 12.9 22.8
2014 2546 128.5 19.8 24.9
2015 2579 131.0 19.6 29.9
2016 2593 132.0 19.6 25.5
2017 2566 138.0 18.5 28.1
2018 2521 138.8 18.1 27.6
2019 2429 138.4 17.5 26.8
2020 2416 141.3 17.0 28.4
2021 2421 n/a n/a n/a
2022 2436 144.0 16.9 27.1
2023 2411 137.6 17.5 39.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Immunization Rates

Plainfield South High School

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YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMeningococcal
201599.8%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.5%99.8%
201699.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.2%24.4%
201799.4%99.4%99.4%99.4%99.4%99.3%99.4%24.1%
201899.4%99.4%99.4%99.4%99.4%99.3%99.4%25.4%
201999.3%99.2%99.2%99.2%99.3%99.2%99.3%48.2%
202199.3%99.5%99.4%99.5%99.3%99.3%99.4%98.7%
202299.4%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.5%99.4%99.6%98.5%
202399.5%99.5%99.5%99.5%99.5%99.5%99.4%97.2%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Plainfield South High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $234 (2.4%) $9,571 (97.6%) $9,805
2020 $346 (3.4%) $9,818 (96.6%) $10,164
2021 $247 (2.3%) $10,267 (97.7%) $10,514
2022 $247 (2.3%) $10,267 (97.7%) $10,514
2023 $160 (1.3%) $11,754 (98.7%) $11,913

Data source: Illinois Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Plainfield South High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 199th of 701 High schoolsRanks 242nd of 699 High schools
 6.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Mathematics (Plainfield South High School)34.723.5
 11.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Plainfield School District 202)42.628.9
 13.7%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)34.826.7
 8.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Plainfield South High School)32.925
 7.9%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Plainfield School District 202)40.732.4
 8.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.731.6
 5.1%
End of Course Science (Plainfield South High School)39.657.8
 18.2%
   End of Course Science (Plainfield School District 202)44.550.9
 6.4%
   End of Course Science (Illinois)36.452.2
 15.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students24292411
 0.7%
African American284407
 43.3%
American Indian66
Asian6872
 5.9%
Hispanic657756
 15.1%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White13451081
 19.6%
Two or More Races6888
 29.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients26.8%39.2%
 12.4%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Plainfield South High School

Plainfield South High School ranks 242nd of 699 Illinois high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Plainfield South High School are 45% White, 31% Hispanic, 17% African American, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,411 students attended Plainfield South High School.


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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. Attendance Areas provided by ATTOM.

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.





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