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Education

Education

Quality education is a priority for your business and your family.

Whether you are looking for public or private, mid-sized or small school enrollment, Stephenson County offers excellent educational environments for all ages. Stephenson County embraces six school districts offering comprehensive public or private educational programs for students Pre-K through 12th grade. Many have received recognition for their excellence.

  • Freeport School District’s music program has been Grammy-award winning for over 10 years running. Work at FSD 145!
  • Pearl City High School received national recognition, garnering a Bronze award two years in a row from USA News and World Report’s “America’s Best High Schools” program.
  • Aquin Catholic High School, Lena-Winslow High School, and Dakota High School have all had first-place state football victories in the last several years.

Stephenson County is also home to Highland Community College’s 140-acre campus. The two-year college serves a those looking to return to a degree program after high school or a workplace setting. The college enrolls 7,000 students annually and offers degrees in 28 majors and certificates in 21 career programs.

Students may also complete a four-year degree through Columbia College, located on the same campus. In the last year, Highland has partnered with Rockford University’s Puri School of Business, Phoenix University and Northern Illinois University to offer bachelor-degree classes in the fields of business and nursing. Recently, HCC unveiled a new nursing building to teach and train top-notch healthcare professionals for our region. In 2020, the school received grant funding to build a new agriculture education facility.

HCC is proud of its Business Institute, committed to helping businesses achieve success and remain competitive. Thousands of employees have benefited from this training by learning new technical, operational, and leadership skills. Lifelong Learning programs offered at Highland are great opportunities to learn a new skill, explore a hobby or increase knowledge for work-related expertise for all ages.

Continue your own education or keep kids close to home with great, affordable educational options.

Schools Serving Stephenson County

Name

Grade Levels

Address

City

Phone

Aquin Catholic Schools

Preschool – 12th

1419 South Galena Avenue

Freeport

815-235-3154

Dakota Community School District #201

Pre-school – 12th; Daycare

400 Campus Dr.

Dakota

815-449-2832

Durand Community School District #322

K – 12th

200 W. South Street

Durand

815-248-2171

Eastland Community School District #308

Preschool – 12th; Daycare

200 S. School Street

Lanark

815-493-6301

Forrestville Valley Community School District #221

K – 12th

601 East Main Street

Forreston

815-938-2036

Freeport School District #145

Preschool – 12th; transitional education facility

501 East South Street

Freeport

815-232-0300

Immanuel Lutheran School

Pre-school – 8th

1964 West Pearl City Road

Freeport

815-232-3511

Lena-Winslow Community School District #202

K – 12th

401 Freemont Street

Lena

815-369-2525

Open Bible Learning Center

Pre-school – 5th

3800 W Stephenson St

Freeport

815-235-7216

Orangeville Community School District #203

K – 12th

310 South East Street

Orangeville

815-789-4450

Pearl City Community School District #200

Pre-school – 12th; Daycare

100 South Summit

Pearl City

815-443-2715

Pecatonica Community School District #321

K – 12th

1300 Main Street

Pecatonica

815-233-1876

Tri-County Christian School

Pre-school – 8th

641 West Stephenson Street

Freeport

815-233-1876

Warren Community School District #205

K – 12th

311 South Water Street

Warren

815-745-2653

Data on Graduation Rates, Enrollment & Class Sizes

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Spring Break Staycation in Stephenson County March 18, 2024 Whether you have just a few days or a whole week to enjoy, why not turn your spring break into an unforgettable staycation right her in Stephenson County? The perfect break from ordinary can be found without straying too far from home. Krape Park: Nature’s Playground Start your staycation at Krape Park, with a fantastic variety of activities and a […]
Women’s History Month 2024 March 13, 2024 Ashley Huffines, freeport public library, greater freeport partnership, Women's History Month 2024 The Greater Freeport Partnership honors the commemoration of Women’s History Month with a special feature from Ashley Huffines, executive director of the Freeport Public Library. When I think about Women’s History Month in 2024, and this year’s theme, “Women who advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion,” I can’t help but think about advocacy in the library world. Throughout the ten […]
Celebrating Important Things! March 6, 2024 Freeport, greater freeport partnership, Stephenson County On February 22, the Greater Freeport Partnership hosted its annual dinner with over 200 in attendance. We made several changes to our traditional annual dinner format this year, not least of which was adding three awards for a total of nine awards presented during the evening. While many organizations are paring down the number of awards they are presenting, we […]
Guest Column: Black History Month a Reminder to Remain Vigilant February 27, 2024 The Greater Freeport Partnership honors the commemoration of Black History Month with a special feature from James Rhyne, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Freeport & Stephenson County. Although it may finally seem that covid-19 is on the retreat, we must remain vigilant and watchful of the trends that are taking place in our nation, region, and […]