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A−

Waterloo Community Unit School District 5

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 2 towns

Serves Waterloo and Hecker, and parts of Millstadt Township and Prairie Du Long Township.

Waterloo’s School Grade A− better than 83% of Illinois school districts

Students
2,767
Schools
5
Spent per student
$13,843
IL $21,567
Students per teacher
16:1
Free or reduced lunch
21%
Debt
$31.4M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Waterloo Community Unit School District 5

  • Its letter, A−: results better than 83% of Illinois districts
  • Math proficiency 12 pts above the state
  • Reading proficiency 17 pts above the state
  • Graduation rate 5 pts above the state
  • Spends 36% less per student than the IL average
  • 16 students per teacher
  • Debt of $31.4M, about $11,348 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

A−: better than 83% of the 887 Illinois school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well above the state, 2021–22
A
GraduationFour-year graduation well above the state, class of 2023
A−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
A−Waterloo 11,132Hecker 418

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Waterloo. Grade by grade →

PK–1W J Zahnow Elem SchoolThis district
2–3Rogers Elem SchoolThis district
6–8Waterloo Junior High SchoolThis district
9–12Waterloo High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. IL

2020–21 · 2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency38%
State average 25.8% · 1,332 students tested
Reading / language arts47%
State average 29.9% · 1,444 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)93%
State average 87.6% · 242 in the class

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$13,843 per student · 36% below IL
Spending
Classroom instruction 62%Support & administration 34%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 62%State 35%Federal 4%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
2,687’20
2,742’21
2,768’22
2,742’23
2,767’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
White 93%Hispanic 3%Two or more races 3%Asian <1%Black <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%

Schools in the district

5 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Illinois’s other public schools.

W J Zahnow Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–1 · Waterloo
487 students15:1
Rogers Elem School
Elementary · Grades 2–3 · Waterloo
A
417 students16:1
Gardner Elementary School
Elementary · Grades 4–5 · Waterloo
A
374 students16:1
Waterloo Junior High School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Waterloo
A−
613 students17:1
Waterloo High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Waterloo
A−
876 students17:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Belleville Township High School District 201Millstadt, Smithton Township, Stookey Township
$20,728per student
Freeburg Community Consolidated School District 70New Athens Township, Smithton Township
$14,432per student
Freeburg Community High School District 77New Athens Township, Smithton Township
$16,047per student
Millstadt Consolidated Community School District 160Millstadt, Stookey Township
$14,718per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Illinois.