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Chatham water tower and Jaycee Park 2026-07-05Photo: User:Visviva · CC BY-SA 4.0
B+
Schools in Chatham Township · Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5, Auburn Community Unit School District 10

Chatham Township’s public schools outscore 71% of Illinois districts

The grade covers the two public school districts serving Chatham Township, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Illinois, not nationally.

#252of 768 Illinois townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Illinois state tests taken in spring 2021, when nearly all of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
30%
▲ 0 pts vs IL 30%
2020–21
Math proficiency
26%
▲ 1 pts vs IL 26%
2020–21
Graduate on time
95%
▲ 7 pts vs IL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$11.2K
▼ 48% vs IL $21.6K
FY2024 · Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5
Students per teacher
16.1
IL 13.6 · larger classes
Schools in town
1
3,282 students on the public path
In brief

Chatham Township’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 1308 Illinois towns with household incomes within a quarter of Chatham Township’s, its schools beat 78%, higher than their 71% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 30% and math 26% across both districts in spring 2021, against 30% and 26% statewide; 95% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5 spends $11,190 per student and Auburn Community Unit School District 10 $14,257, against $21,567 across Illinois (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Chatham Township’s grade

B Test scoresA− Graduation

B+: better than 71% of Illinois school districts, #252 of 768 Illinois towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the Illinois average; graduation is the stronger of the two.

Illinois school districts we grade (887)Better than 71%
Lower resultsHigher results
Illinois towns with similar household incomes (1308)Better than 78%
Towns in Sangamon County (26)Better than 81%
BA−A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 2,855 test results and a graduating class of 360 could put Chatham Township anywhere from B to A−. The tests are from spring 2021, when nearly all of Chatham Township’s students in the tested grades sat them (2,681 in math, 3,030 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Chatham Township, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
K–4Chatham Elem SchoolBall-Chatham Community Unit School District 5B+
6–82 middle schoolsDepends on your addressC+ to B
9–122 high schoolsDepends on your addressB− to A−

Chatham Township runs its own schools through grade 12 (Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5). From grade PK, students attend the Auburn Community Unit School District 10, shared with Auburn, Auburn, Divernon and Divernon. Its middle school is in Chatham. Parts of Chatham Township (5% of its land) are served by New Berlin CUSD 16 instead. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Chatham Township

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5Grades PK–12 · 6 schools · 4,516 students, down 4% since 2020–21 · 17.3 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$11,190IL $21,567 · FY2024
A−
Auburn Community Unit School District 10Grades PK–12 · 4 schools · 1,055 students, down 12% since 2020–21 · 12.6 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$14,257IL $21,567 · FY2024
B−
Test scores · 2020–21

Close to the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 532%
State average 29.9% · 2477 students tested
Math · PK–12, Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 530%
State average 25.8% · 2141 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Auburn Community Unit School District 1022%
State average 29.9% · 553 students tested
Math · PK–12, Auburn Community Unit School District 1012%
State average 25.8% · 540 students tested

Chatham Township vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Illinois towns that share Chatham Township’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Chatham TownshipB+Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5 PK–12 · Auburn Community Unit School District 10 PK–12
CurranB−New Berlin CUSD 16
AuburnC+Auburn Community Unit School District 10 PK–12 · North Mac Community Unit School District 34 PK–12
BallA−Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5
Chatham (village)A−Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5
CapitalC−Springfield School District 186 PK–12 · Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5 PK–12
SpringfieldC−Springfield School District 186 PK–12 · Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5 PK–12
LoamiC+New Berlin CUSD 16 PK–12 · Waverly Community Unit School District 6 PK–12

4 of the 7 neighbors share Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5 with Chatham Township for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Chatham Township

5 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Illinois’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

District schools in Chatham Townshipby address
Chatham Elem School
Elementary · Grades K–4 · Chatham
B+
500 students17:1Rate it →
Also serving Chatham Townshipin other towns
Auburn Jr High at Divernon
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Divernon
C+
236 students12:1Rate it →
Glenwood Middle School
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Chatham
B
735 students17:1Rate it →
Glenwood High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Chatham
A−
1,484 students18:1Rate it →
Auburn High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Auburn
B−
327 students13:1Rate it →

Questions about Chatham Township’s schools

Are Chatham Township’s schools good?

By Illinois’s own tests, yes: the public schools Chatham Township children attend outscore 71% of Illinois’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B+ Schools grade, #252 of 768 Illinois towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 78%. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Chatham Township in?

Two districts: Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5 runs grades PK–12, and Auburn Community Unit School District 10 runs grades PK–12, shared with Auburn, Auburn, Divernon and Divernon.

Where do Chatham Township kids go to high school?

One of 2 high schools, depending on your address: Glenwood High School and Auburn High School.

What is Chatham Township’s graduation rate?

95% of the class of 2023 in Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois.

How much does Chatham Township spend per student?

$11,190 in Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5 and $14,257 in Auburn Community Unit School District 10 (FY2024), against $21,567 across Illinois. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Chatham Township families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Chatham Township → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2020–21, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Illinois. Stars are from neighbors.