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Pleasant HomePleasant Home · Photo: George Maher architect, photographer unknown · Public domain
B−
Schools in Palmyra Township · Dixon Unit School District 170, Sterling Community Unit District 5

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

17% of students in Palmyra Township’s public schools are proficient in math, below the Illinois average (26%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Palmyra 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.

#488of 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
19%
▼ 11 pts vs IL 30%
2020–21
Math proficiency
17%
▼ 9 pts vs IL 26%
2020–21
Graduate on time
90%
▲ 2 pts vs IL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$15.5K
▼ 28% vs IL $21.6K
FY2024 · Sterling Community Unit District 5
Students per teacher
15.4
IL 13.6 · larger classes
Schools in town
0
5,366 students on the public path
In brief

Palmyra Township’s schools, in brief

Against towns with similar incomes

Among the 1224 Illinois towns with household incomes within a quarter of Palmyra Township’s, its schools beat 33%, lower than their 45% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Results trail the state

In spring 2021, 19% of tested students were proficient in reading and 17% in math, against 30% and 26% statewide; nearly all of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

90% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois. Districts ↓

Spending and class size

Dixon Unit School District 170 spends $16,626 per student and Sterling Community Unit District 5 $15,512, 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 Palmyra Township’s grade

C Test scoresB Graduation

B−: better than 45% of Illinois school districts, #488 of 768 Illinois towns. Graduation is above the Illinois average; test scores are below it.

Illinois school districts we grade (887)Better than 45%
Lower resultsHigher results
Illinois towns with similar household incomes (1224)Better than 33%
Towns in Lee County (22)Better than 64%
CBA fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 2,762 test results and a graduating class of 253 could put Palmyra Township anywhere from C to B. The tests are from spring 2021, when nearly all of Palmyra Township’s students in the tested grades sat them (2,604 in math, 2,918 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

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

The path, start to finish
PK–23 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressNo scores
3–53 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressC to B−
6–82 middle schoolsDepends on your addressC+
9–122 high schoolsDepends on your addressB− to B

Palmyra Township runs its own schools through grade 12 (Dixon Unit School District 170). From grade PK, students attend the Sterling Community Unit District 5, shared with Coleta, Genesee, Hopkins, Jordan, Sterling and Sterling. Its elementary school is in Sterling. Parts of Palmyra Township (8% of its land) are served by Polo Community Unit School District 222 instead. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Palmyra Township

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

Dixon Unit School District 170Grades PK–12 · 5 schools · 2,436 students, down 6% since 2020–21 · 15.7 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$16,626IL $21,567 · FY2024
C+
Sterling Community Unit District 5Grades PK–12 · 6 schools · 3,253 students · 15.1 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$15,512IL $21,567 · FY2024
B−
Test scores · 2020–21

Well below the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Dixon Unit School District 17021%
State average 29.9% · 1271 students tested
Math · PK–12, Dixon Unit School District 17015%
State average 25.8% · 1224 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Sterling Community Unit District 518%
State average 29.9% · 1647 students tested
Math · PK–12, Sterling Community Unit District 518%
State average 25.8% · 1380 students tested

Palmyra Township vs. its neighbors

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

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Palmyra TownshipB−Dixon Unit School District 170 PK–12 · Sterling Community Unit District 5 PK–12
Nelson—Dixon Unit School District 170 PK–12 · East Coloma-Nelson Consolidated Elementary School District 20 PK–8 · Rock Falls Township High School District 301 9–12
Woosung—Polo Community Unit School District 222
Sterling—Sterling Community Unit District 5
Jordan—Sterling Community Unit District 5 PK–12 · Chadwick-Milledgeville Community Unit School District 399 PK–12
Dixon—Dixon Unit School District 170

2 of the 5 neighbors share Dixon Unit School District 170 with Palmyra Township for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Palmyra 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).

Also serving Palmyra Townshipin other towns
Jefferson Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–2 · Sterling
450 students15:1Rate it →
Washington Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–1 · Dixon
424 students16:1Rate it →
Franklin Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–2 · Sterling
407 students14:1Rate it →
Jefferson Elem School
Elementary · Grades 2–3 · Dixon
C
344 students14:1Rate it →
Washington Elem School
Elementary · Grades 3–5 · Sterling
B−
394 students12:1Rate it →
Lincoln Elem School
Elementary · Grades 3–5 · Sterling
C+
277 students13:1Rate it →
Challand Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Sterling
C+
726 students16:1Rate it →
Reagan Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Dixon
C+
585 students16:1Rate it →
Sterling High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Sterling
B−
999 students18:1Rate it →
Dixon High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Dixon
B
760 students17:1Rate it →

Questions about Palmyra Township’s schools

Are Palmyra Township’s schools good?

On Illinois’s tests they score below most of the state: the public schools Palmyra Township children attend score below 55% of Illinois’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B− Schools grade, #488 of 768 Illinois towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 33%. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Palmyra Township in?

Two districts: Dixon Unit School District 170 runs grades PK–12, and Sterling Community Unit District 5 runs grades PK–12, shared with Coleta, Genesee, Hopkins, Jordan, Sterling and Sterling.

Where do Palmyra Township kids go to high school?

One of 2 high schools, depending on your address: Sterling High School and Dixon High School.

What is Palmyra Township’s graduation rate?

90% of the class of 2023 in Sterling Community Unit District 5 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois.

How much does Palmyra Township spend per student?

$16,626 in Dixon Unit School District 170 and $15,512 in Sterling Community Unit District 5 (FY2024), against $21,567 across Illinois. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Palmyra Township families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Palmyra 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.