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Schools in Cortland Township · Sycamore Community Unit School District 427, Kaneland Community Unit School District 302

Cortland Township’s public schools score below 55% of Illinois districts on tests and graduation

Math proficiency in Cortland Township’s districts is 19%, below the Illinois average (26%). The grade covers the three public school districts serving Cortland 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.

#490of 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
24%
▼ 6 pts vs IL 30%
2020–21
Math proficiency
19%
▼ 7 pts vs IL 26%
2020–21
Graduate on time
79%
▼ 9 pts vs IL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$21.6K
▲ 0% vs IL $21.6K
FY2024 · DeKalb Community Unit School District 428
Students per teacher
13.4
IL 13.6
Schools in town
2
8,684 students on the public path
In brief

Cortland Township’s schools, in brief

Against towns with similar incomes

Among the 1099 Illinois towns with household incomes within a quarter of Cortland Township’s, its schools beat 29%, lower than their 45% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Results trail the state

In spring 2021, 24% of tested students were proficient in reading and 19% in math, against 30% and 26% statewide; nearly all of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

79% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois. Districts ↓

Spending and class size

Sycamore Community Unit School District 427 spends $18,910 per student and Kaneland Community Unit School District 302 $21,339, against $21,567 across Illinois (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Two elementary schools, then five middle and three high schools

Which school depends on the address at every step. See the path ↓

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 Cortland Township’s grade

C+ Test scoresC− Graduation

B−: better than 45% of Illinois school districts, #490 of 768 Illinois towns. Both inputs trail the Illinois average; test scores are the closer of the two to typical.

Illinois school districts we grade (887)Better than 45%
Lower resultsHigher results
Illinois towns with similar household incomes (1099)Better than 29%
Towns in DeKalb County (19)Better than 26%
C+B−A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 5,597 test results and a graduating class of 567 could put Cortland Township anywhere from C+ to B−. The tests are from spring 2021, when nearly all of Cortland Township’s students in the tested grades sat them (3,735 in math, 7,457 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

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

The path, start to finish
PK–52 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressC− to B−
6–85 middle schoolsDepends on your addressC to B−
9–123 high schoolsDepends on your addressB− to A−

To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Three districts serve Cortland Township

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

Sycamore Community Unit School District 427Grades PK–12 · 7 schools · 3,720 students, up 4% since 2020–21 · 14.1 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$18,910IL $21,567 · FY2024
B+
Kaneland Community Unit School District 302Grades PK–12 · 7 schools · 3,908 students, down 4% since 2020–21 · 12.1 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$21,339IL $21,567 · FY2024
B+
DeKalb Community Unit School District 428Grades PK–12 · 12 schools · 6,771 students, up 2% since 2020–21 · 13.9 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$21,601IL $21,567 · FY2024
C−
Test scores · 2020–21

Well below the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Sycamore Community Unit School District 42732%
State average 29.9% · 1908 students tested
Math · PK–12, Sycamore Community Unit School District 42726%
State average 25.8% · 1474 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Kaneland Community Unit School District 30230%
State average 29.9% · 2061 students tested
Math · PK–12, Kaneland Community Unit School District 30233%
State average 25.8% · 342 students tested
Reading · PK–12, DeKalb Community Unit School District 42816%
State average 29.9% · 3488 students tested
Math · PK–12, DeKalb Community Unit School District 42811%
State average 25.8% · 1919 students tested

Cortland Township vs. its neighbors

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

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Cortland TownshipB−Sycamore Community Unit School District 427 PK–12 · Kaneland Community Unit School District 302 PK–12 · DeKalb Community Unit School District 428 PK–12
DeKalb—DeKalb Community Unit School District 428
Pierce—Hinckley-Big Rock Community Unit School District 429 PK–12 · Kaneland Community Unit School District 302 PK–12
VirgilA−Kaneland Community Unit School District 302 PK–12 · Central Community Unit School District 301 PK–12
SycamoreB+Sycamore Community Unit School District 427

2 of the 4 neighbors share Kaneland Community Unit School District 302 with Cortland Township for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Cortland Township

10 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 Cortland Townshipby address
South Prairie Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Sycamore
B−
456 students17:1Rate it →
Cortland Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Cortland
C−
523 students13:1Rate it →
Also serving Cortland Townshipin other towns
Kaneland IgKnight Academy
Middle · Grades 3–8 · Maple Park
100 students11:1Rate it →
Huntley Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Dekalb
C
865 students12:1Rate it →
Sycamore Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Sycamore
B−
847 students14:1Rate it →
Kaneland Harter Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Sugar Grove
B−
822 students12:1Rate it →
Clinton Rosette Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · DeKalb
C
575 students12:1Rate it →
DeKalb High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Dekalb
B−
2,134 students15:1Rate it →
Kaneland Senior High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Maple Park
A−
1,201 students13:1Rate it →
Sycamore High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Sycamore
B+
1,161 students16:1Rate it →

Questions about Cortland Township’s schools

Are Cortland Township’s schools good?

On Illinois’s tests they score below most of the state: the public schools Cortland Township children attend score below 55% of Illinois’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B− Schools grade, #490 of 768 Illinois towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 29%. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Cortland Township in?

Sycamore Community Unit School District 427, which runs grades PK–12 and enrolls 3,720 students in 7 schools (2024–25).

Where do Cortland Township kids go to high school?

One of 3 high schools, depending on your address: DeKalb High School, Kaneland Senior High School and Sycamore High School.

What is Cortland Township’s graduation rate?

79% of the class of 2023 in DeKalb Community Unit School District 428 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois.

How much does Cortland Township spend per student?

$18,910 in Sycamore Community Unit School District 427, $21,339 in Kaneland Community Unit School District 302 and $21,601 in DeKalb Community Unit School District 428 (FY2024), against $21,567 across Illinois. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Cortland Township families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Cortland 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.