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Schools in Lancaster Township · Dakota Community Unit School District 201, Freeport School District 145

Lancaster Township’s public schools score below 86% of Illinois districts on tests and graduation

Math proficiency in Lancaster Township’s districts is 15%, below the Illinois average (26%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Lancaster 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.

K–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
20%
▼ 10 pts vs IL 30%
2020–21
Math proficiency
15%
▼ 11 pts vs IL 26%
2020–21
Graduate on time
71%
▼ 17 pts vs IL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$22.7K
▲ 5% vs IL $21.6K
FY2024 · Freeport School District 145
Students per teacher
13.0
IL 13.6 · smaller classes
Schools in town
0
2,862 students on the public path
In brief

Lancaster Township’s schools, in brief

Against towns with similar incomes

Among the 1273 Illinois towns with household incomes within a quarter of Lancaster Township’s, its schools beat 5%, lower than their 14% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Results trail the state

In spring 2021, 20% of tested students were proficient in reading and 15% in math, against 30% and 26% statewide; nearly all of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

71% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois. Districts ↓

Spending and class size

Dakota Community Unit School District 201 spends $16,252 per student and Freeport School District 145 $22,691, 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 Lancaster Township’s grade

C Test scoresD− Graduation

D: better than 14% of Illinois school districts. Both inputs trail the Illinois average; test scores are the closer of the two to typical.

Illinois school districts we grade (887)Better than 14%
Lower resultsHigher results
Illinois towns with similar household incomes (1273)Better than 5%
Towns in Stephenson County (18)Better than 17%
DCA fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 2,073 test results and a graduating class of 276 could put Lancaster Township anywhere from D to C. The tests are from spring 2021, when nearly all of Lancaster Township’s students in the tested grades sat them (2,054 in math, 2,093 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

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

The path, start to finish
PK–46 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressD to B
7–122 schoolsDepends on your addressD to A−

Lancaster Township runs its own schools through grade 12 (Dakota Community Unit School District 201). From grade PK, students attend the Freeport School District 145, shared with Cedarville, Florence, Freeport, Freeport, Harlem, Ridott and Silver Creek. Its elementary school is in Dakota. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Lancaster Township

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

Dakota Community Unit School District 201Grades PK–12 · 2 schools · 754 students, down 3% since 2020–21 · 13.4 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$16,252IL $21,567 · FY2024
A−
Freeport School District 145Grades PK–12 · 8 schools · 3,703 students, up 3% since 2020–21 · 12.9 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$22,691IL $21,567 · FY2024
D
Test scores · 2020–21

Well below the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Dakota Community Unit School District 20145%
State average 29.9% · 384 students tested
Math · PK–12, Dakota Community Unit School District 20130%
State average 25.8% · 409 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Freeport School District 14514%
State average 29.9% · 1709 students tested
Math · PK–12, Freeport School District 14511%
State average 25.8% · 1645 students tested

Lancaster Township vs. its neighbors

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

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Lancaster TownshipDDakota Community Unit School District 201 PK–12 · Freeport School District 145 PK–12
Freeport—Freeport School District 145
Freeport (city)DFreeport School District 145
Silver Creek—Forrestville Valley Community Unit School District 221 PK–12 · Freeport School District 145 PK–12
HarlemDFreeport School District 145
Rock RunA−Dakota Community Unit School District 201
Dakota—Dakota Community Unit School District 201

4 of the 6 neighbors share Freeport School District 145 with Lancaster Township for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Lancaster Township

8 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).

Also serving Lancaster Townshipin other towns
Dakota Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Dakota
B
410 students13:1Rate it →
Blackhawk Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Freeport
C
361 students14:1Rate it →
Lincoln-Douglas Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Freeport
D
325 students13:1Rate it →
Empire Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Freeport
C
295 students12:1Rate it →
Center Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Freeport
B
262 students12:1Rate it →
Jones-Farrar Intl Baccalaureate
Elementary · Grades K–6 · Freeport
C+
350 students13:1Rate it →
Freeport Middle School
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Freeport
D
515 students14:1Rate it →
Dakota Jr Sr High School
High · Grades 7–12 · Dakota
A−
344 students14:1Rate it →

Questions about Lancaster Township’s schools

Are Lancaster Township’s schools good?

On Illinois’s tests they score below most of the state: the public schools Lancaster Township children attend score below 86% of Illinois’s school districts on tests and graduation, a D Schools grade. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 5%. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Lancaster Township in?

Two districts: Dakota Community Unit School District 201 runs grades PK–12, and Freeport School District 145 runs grades PK–12, shared with Cedarville, Florence, Freeport, Freeport, Harlem, Ridott and Silver Creek.

What is Lancaster Township’s graduation rate?

71% of the class of 2023 in Freeport School District 145 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois.

How much does Lancaster Township spend per student?

$16,252 in Dakota Community Unit School District 201 and $22,691 in Freeport School District 145 (FY2024), against $21,567 across Illinois. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Lancaster Township families are saying about school.

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Looking for colleges? Colleges near Lancaster 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.