Rockford Sd 205, IL - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Rockford Sd 205

Rockford SD 205 serves a large, diverse student population across Winnebago County, Illinois, from pre-K through grade 12. The district enrols students from Rockford proper and surrounding communities including Loves Park, Machesney Park, Caledonia, Cherry Valley, and Roscoe. The student body is substantially made up of Black and Hispanic students, who together represent roughly two-thirds of enrollment, with white students making up roughly a quarter and smaller shares of Asian, multiracial, and other backgrounds. The district operates across a portfolio of elementary, middle, and high schools, alongside early childhood centers and a small number of charter schools.

Academic proficiency across state assessments is well below the midpoint among Winnebago County's other districts. In math, fewer than a third of third graders, around one in five fourth and fifth graders, and roughly one in six students in grades six through eight meet proficiency. English language arts proficiency is somewhat higher, ranging from the high twenties to low forties across the elementary and middle grade band, though still below where most county districts sit. Science results in grades five and eight hover around one in four students. The district participates fully in state testing, with participation rates above 95 percent in nearly all grades.

A striking concern is chronic absenteeism. The district's rate sits at the bottom among its county peers, meaning a substantially higher share of students miss school consistently. This kind of pattern often correlates with or compounds academic challenge and warrants direct conversation with the school when evaluating fit, particularly for families whose circumstances require stable routines.

Winnebago County's housing market shows median home values around 194,000, with a year-over-year increase. Rental costs average around 1,278 monthly across the district's service area. The affordability read is mixed: the price-to-income ratio sits above the national benchmark, and renters spend roughly a fifth of income on housing, which is manageable but tight. Some neighborhoods within the district service area, particularly in parts of Rockford proper, show lower home values and lower rents, while outlying communities like Caledonia and Cherry Valley command higher prices. Unemployment is modest at around 4.3 percent.

The district recently enacted substantial changes. As of the 2025-26 school year, the school calendar shifted forward, with classes now starting in mid-August and ending in late May. This followed the completion of air conditioning across all district buildings and aligns Rockford's calendar with neighboring districts, a practical factor for families managing multiple school schedules or commutes. Attendance boundaries also shifted in 2021-22 and may have created splits between siblings in different elementary and middle schools, a consideration for families making housing decisions within the district.

A major infrastructure undertaking is now underway. The district board approved a five-year Facilities Master Plan that will reshape buildings across the system, including construction of a new college-and-career center that will consolidate career pathways currently housed in the four high schools. The same plan includes expansion of International Baccalaureate and STEAM offerings down into middle school grades. The full cost has grown through inflation and scope expansion, leaving a significant funding gap the board is working to address through borrowing, a traditional bond, or a sales tax increase. For families, this capital work is a visible, long-term signal of district intent in college readiness and career-technical pathways, though it also carries the typical disruption and uncertainty that major construction brings.

Rockford SD 205 presents a district managing substantial achievement gaps and attendance challenges within a diverse, economically constrained student population. The infrastructure commitments and calendar realignment suggest institutional effort on systemic improvement. A parent considering the district may want to look into current achievement trends, the implementation progress of the career and IB expansion, and support resources for chronic absenteeism in their specific school community.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

27,661

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 32%

Black 31%

White 25%

Asian 4%

Two+ 8%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

22%

—

Gr 4

26%

—

Gr 5

33%

—

Gr 6

25%

—

Gr 7

22%

—

Gr 8

27%

—

Math

Gr 3

23%

—

Gr 4

16%

—

Gr 5

17%

—

Gr 6

—

Gr 7

10%

—

Gr 8

10%

—

Science

Gr 5

19%

—

Gr 8

19%

—

Schools in this District

45 schools are officially reported under this district.

Lewis Lemon Elementary

Montessori Elementary School

Kennedy Middle School

Rockford Envrnmntl Science Acad

Brookview Elem School

Abraham Lincoln Middle School

Clifford P Carlson Elem School

Conklin Elem School

Ellis Elementary School

Gregory Elem School

Julia Lathrop Elem School

Haskell Elementary School

Swan Hillman Elem School

Guilford High School

Maud E Johnson Elem School

Constance Lane Elementary School

McIntosh Elementary

Bernard W Flinn Middle School

Jefferson High School

Rolling Green

Auburn High School

Rockford East High School

R K Welsh Elem School

West View Elem School

Whitehead Elem School

Cherry Valley Elementary School

Thurgood Marshall Elementary

Barbour Two-Way Lang Immersion

Arthur Froberg Elem School

Spring Creek Elem School

C Henry Bloom Elem School

Eisenhower Middle School

Fairview Early Childhood Center

Washington Elementary School

West Middle School

Roosevelt Center

Riverdahl Elem School

Galapagos Rockford Charter Sch

Legacy Acad of Excellence Charter

Jackson Charter School

Summerdale Early Childhood Center

Thurgood Marshall School

Wm Nashold Early Childhood Center

Winnebago Co Detention Center

Beyer Early Childhood Center

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

30%

Grade 3

22%

Grade 4

22%

Grade 5

14%

Grade 6

16%

Grade 7

16%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

29%

Grade 3

32%

Grade 4

40%

Grade 5

33%

Grade 6

29%

Grade 7

34%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

25%

Grade 5

26%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$194,374

Year-over-year change+10.2%

Range across 15 ZIP codes$112K to $370K

vs. state typical0.67x

vs. national typical0.53x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (15 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
61109	Rockford	$190K	+11.2%	22.3%
61101	Rockford	$113K	+14.2%	12.9%
61102	Rockford	$118K	+10.1%	11.3%
61016	Cherry Valley	$286K	+8.7%	9.9%
61107	Rockford	$221K	+9.2%	9.2%
61103	Rockford	$149K	+7.9%	7.8%
61108	Rockford	$187K	+9.2%	7.1%
61011	Caledonia	$370K	+7.4%	5.7%
61114	Rockford	$268K	+7.3%	4.3%
61111	Loves Park	$201K	+7.9%	3.1%
61104	Rockford	$112K	+15.4%	2.9%
61115	Machesney Park	$203K	+11.0%	1.3%
61073	Roscoe	$308K	+8.8%	1.0%
61020	Davis Junction	$276K	+9.6%	0.5%
61008	Belvidere	$260K	+6.8%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,278/mo

Year-over-year change+7.3%

Range across 11 ZIP codes$1,087 to $1,995/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (11 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
61109	Rockford	$1,087	—	22.3%
61101	Rockford	$1,238	—	12.9%
61102	Rockford	$1,561	—	11.3%
61107	Rockford	$1,343	+6.3%	9.2%
61103	Rockford	$1,094	+8.2%	7.8%
61108	Rockford	$1,386	+6.9%	7.1%
61111	Loves Park	$1,850	—	3.1%
61104	Rockford	$1,090	+8.9%	2.9%
61115	Machesney Park	$1,280	—	1.3%
61073	Roscoe	$1,655	—	1.0%
61008	Belvidere	$1,995	—	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$981/mo

Home price / national median income2.3x

Annual rent / national median income18.3%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$297/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$290,210 (+4.9% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.