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Pontiac City Hall and Fire Station14Photo: IvoShandor · CC BY-SA 3.0
C−
Schools in Pontiac · Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429, Pontiac Township High School District 90

Pontiac’s public schools score below 83% of Illinois districts on tests and graduation

Math proficiency in Pontiac’s districts is 13%, below the Illinois average (26%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Pontiac, 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.

#663of 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
15%
▼ 15 pts vs IL 30%
2020–21
Math proficiency
13%
▼ 13 pts vs IL 26%
2020–21
Graduate on time
85–89%
▼ 1–3 pts vs IL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$19.5K
▼ 10% vs IL $21.6K
FY2024 · Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429
Students per teacher
12.1
IL 13.6 · smaller classes
Schools in town
0
1,572 students on the public path
In brief

Pontiac’s schools, in brief

Pontiac runs its own schools through grade 8, then shares

Central Elem School (PK–1), Lincoln Elementary School (2–3) and Pontiac Jr High School (6–8) are Pontiac’s own. From grade 9, students attend the Pontiac Township High School District 90 with Avoca, Eppards Point, Esmen, Nevada, Odell, Odell, Owego, Pike, Pontiac, Rooks Creek, Saunemin, Saunemin, Sullivan, Sunbury and Union: Pontiac High School in Pontiac. The high school’s own results earn a B, the highest on the path. See the path ↓

Results trail the state

In spring 2021, 15% of tested students were proficient in reading and 13% in math, against 30% and 26% statewide; nearly all of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

85–89% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois (the state reports Pontiac’s rate as a range). Districts ↓

Spending and class size

Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429 spends $19,487 per student and Pontiac Township High School District 90 $21,527, 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 Pontiac’s grade

C− Test scoresC+ Graduation

C−: better than 17% of Illinois school districts, #663 of 768 Illinois towns. Both inputs trail the Illinois average; graduation is the closer of the two to typical.

Illinois school districts we grade (887)Better than 17%
Lower resultsHigher results
Illinois towns with similar household incomes (1310)Better than 15%
DC−A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 807 test results and a graduating class of 178 could put Pontiac anywhere from D to C−. The tests are from spring 2021, when nearly all of Pontiac’s students in the tested grades sat them (788 in math, 826 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

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

The path, start to finish
PK–1Central Elem SchoolPontiac Community Consolidated School District 429No scores
2–3Lincoln Elementary SchoolPontiac Community Consolidated School District 429C
6–8Pontiac Jr High SchoolPontiac Community Consolidated School District 429C−
9–12Pontiac High SchoolPontiac Township High School District 90B

Pontiac runs its own schools through grade 8 (Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429). From grade 9, students attend the Pontiac Township High School District 90, shared with Avoca, Eppards Point, Esmen, Nevada, Odell, Odell, Owego, Pike, Pontiac, Rooks Creek, Saunemin, Saunemin, Sullivan, Sunbury and Union. Its elementary school is in Pontiac. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Pontiac

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

Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429Grades PK–8 · 4 schools · 1,135 students, down 3% since 2020–21 · 11.6 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$19,487IL $21,567 · FY2024
D
Pontiac Township High School District 90Grades 9–12 · 1 schools · 658 students, down 5% since 2020–21 · 13.0 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$21,527IL $21,567 · FY2024
B−
Test scores · 2020–21

Well below the state in reading

Reading · PK–8, Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 42913%
State average 29.9% · 653 students tested
Math · PK–8, Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 4299%
State average 25.8% · 625 students tested
Reading · 9–12, Pontiac Township High School District 9022%
State average 29.9% · 173 students tested
Math · 9–12, Pontiac Township High School District 9027%
State average 25.8% · 163 students tested

Pontiac vs. its neighbors

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

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
PontiacC−Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429 PK–8 · Pontiac Township High School District 90 9–12

Every school in Pontiac

4 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 Pontiacin other towns
Central Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–1
361 students13:1Rate it →
Lincoln Elementary School
Elementary · Grades 2–3
C
227 students11:1Rate it →
Pontiac Jr High School
Middle · Grades 6–8
C−
326 students11:1Rate it →
Pontiac High School
High · Grades 9–12
B
658 students13:1Rate it →

Questions about Pontiac’s schools

Are Pontiac’s schools good?

On Illinois’s tests they score below most of the state: the public schools Pontiac children attend score below 83% of Illinois’s school districts on tests and graduation, a C− Schools grade, #663 of 768 Illinois towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 15%. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Pontiac in?

Two districts: Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429 runs grades PK–8, and Pontiac Township High School District 90 runs grades 9–12, shared with Avoca, Eppards Point, Esmen, Nevada, Odell, Odell, Owego, Pike, Pontiac, Rooks Creek, Saunemin, Saunemin, Sullivan, Sunbury and Union.

Where do Pontiac kids go to high school?

Pontiac High School, with 658 students; its own test results earn a B.

What is Pontiac’s graduation rate?

85–89% of the class of 2023 in Pontiac Township High School District 90 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois.

How much does Pontiac spend per student?

$19,487 in Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429 and $21,527 in Pontiac Township High School District 90 (FY2024), against $21,567 across Illinois. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Pontiac families are saying about school.

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Looking for colleges? Colleges near Pontiac → 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.