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Kane County – School Districts 2023-2024

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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
Yorkville Community Unit School District 115
Oswego Community Unit School District 308  
Barrington Community Unit School District 220  
Sycamore Community Unit School District 427  
Hinckley-Big Rock Community Unit School District 429  
Huntley Consolidated School District 158  
Kaneland Community Unit School District 302  
Central Community Unit School District 301  
Geneva Community Unit School District 304  
Batavia Unit School District 101  
St. Charles Community Unit School District 303  
Aurora West Unit School District 129  
Aurora East Unit School District 131  
School District U-46  
Community Unit School District 300  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
PK-12
29
1,429
14.58

654
1,383
1,344
1,511
1,449
1,473
1,414
1,503
1,562
1,593
1,870
1,659
1,590
1,483
20,488
0
0
350
20,838

8,874
932
1,033
8,847
35
19
741

37
47
905
440
0
1,429

19
28
0
47

72
107
57
149
5
0
21
350
703

77
535
669

0
0
PK-12
56
2,254
15.51

1,159
2,216
2,380
2,389
2,390
2,471
2,402
2,424
2,475
2,439
3,088
2,978
2,935
2,807
34,553
0
0
408
34,961

7,980
2,214
2,834
20,046
342
43
1,089

36
67
1,358
793
0
2,254

18
40
0
58

178
118
107
186
12
0
18
408
919

53
965
1,125

0
0
PK-12
20
813
15.32

630
766
827
863
823
800
870
808
904
950
1,128
1,011
948
932
12,260
0
0
196
12,456

305
943
90
10,706
49
14
153

35
46
519
213
0
813

8
15
0
23

62
86
69
55
6
0
8
196
413

22
203
294

13
13
PK-12
17
780
14.36

567
713
728
727
754
777
747
747
808
814
972
916
907
858
11,035
0
0
169
11,204

2,200
1,110
352
6,997
14
15
347

25
62
453
240
0
780

0
12
0
12

42
70
20
57
10
0
15
169
363

49
318
387

0
0
PK-12
18
890
13.35

277
729
744
845
850
883
881
820
886
898
923
969
973
1,021
11,699
0
0
186
11,885

8,312
187
940
1,702
61
11
486

15
32
547
296
0
890

8
15
0
23

41
0
47
77
15
0
25
186
344

19
0
66

2
2
PK-12
8
355
14.95

157
377
352
391
352
391
335
371
361
382
423
435
416
497
5,240
0
0
68
5,308

3,945
220
126
730
4
4
211

5
10
227
113
0
355

4
7
0
11

23
0
7
26
7
0
10
68
133

10
0
17

0
0
PK-12
10
397
13.12

120
315
353
342
344
348
399
402
420
388
407
402
415
422
5,077
0
0
130
5,207

4,157
67
187
543
6
10
107

6
5
263
123
0
397

4
9
0
13

20
53
11
31
8
0
11
130
253

9
439
459

0
0
PK-12
7
278
17.92

145
309
328
381
375
374
381
362
413
399
409
384
350
330
4,940
0
0
41
4,981

2,924
113
802
887
15
2
196

6
15
176
81
0
278

0
5
0
5

18
16
16
25
7
0
7
41
114

14
173
203

0
0
PK-12
7
323
12.31

100
265
294
284
264
305
283
300
277
299
300
300
313
355
3,939
0
0
37
3,976

3,025
95
54
609
4
7
145

5
14
210
94
0
323

3
7
0
10

16
22
16
13
2
0
6
37
95

9
192
217

0
0
PK-12
9
602
14.44

262
468
582
551
618
599
584
650
639
653
694
705
710
804
8,519
0
0
175
8,694

5,867
311
706
1,319
64
18
220

12
23
385
182
0
602

5
12
0
17

36
40
37
51
2
0
10
175
315

17
548
602

0
0
PK-12
3
66
10.95

40
48
49
48
47
54
62
44
49
56
46
53
46
58
700
0
0
23
723

577
8
4
85
3
0
23

2
3
41
20
0
66

0
1
0
1

4
6
2
4
0
0
1
23
38

2
42
45

0
0
PK-12
7
261
14.33

60
249
237
283
272
262
276
283
282
271
304
299
292
295
3,665
0
0
74
3,739

2,856
141
59
433
6
1
169

5
12
170
74
0
261

2
3
0
5

13
15
5
14
0
0
4
74
120

6
187
198

0
0
PK-12
12
593
13.82

193
436
496
542
534
574
600
600
650
642
679
684
684
712
8,026
0
0
168
8,194

4,691
121
1,356
1,449
19
9
380

14
20
391
168
0
593

10
13
0
23

30
59
18
51
11
0
16
168
334

19
161
198

0
0
PK-12
22
1,066
16.06

556
1,063
1,059
1,133
1,228
1,157
1,220
1,204
1,240
1,320
1,391
1,391
1,436
1,453
16,851
0
0
271
17,122

8,084
1,870
1,477
4,580
44
9
770

24
54
644
344
0
1,066

13
19
0
32

76
105
36
149
16
0
22
271
638

32
427
495

7
7
PK-12
11
449
16.10

247
450
475
513
498
534
507
568
548
562
572
544
564
537
7,119
0
0
111
7,230

4,237
626
194
1,725
5
7
325

10
20
298
121
0
449

2
7
0
9

25
32
32
28
5
0
1
111
201

14
300
346

0
0


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus