Waterloo CUSD 5 School District

302 Bellefontaine Dr
Waterloo, IL 62298-1790
(District boundaries shown in map)
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

Waterloo CUSD 5 School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Illinois for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 10%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 10%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 5 public schools serving 2,767 students in Waterloo CUSD 5 School District. This district's average testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public schools in Illinois.
Public Schools in Waterloo CUSD 5 School District have an average math proficiency score of 48% (versus the Illinois public school average of 27%), and reading proficiency score of 47% (versus the 30% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 7% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Illinois public school average of 55% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (IL)
# Schools
5 Schools
4,394 Schools
# Students
2,767 Students
1,842,872 Students
# Teachers
169 Teachers
137,935 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Waterloo CUSD 5 School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 861 school districts in Illinois (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 93% has increased from 89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (IL)
#91 out of 865 school districts
(Top 20%)
48%
27%
47%
30%
71%
50%
93%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.13
0.69
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
6%
% Hispanic
3%
29%
% Black
n/a
16%
% White
93%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
4%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $14,931 in this school district is less than the state median of $22,455. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,493 is less than the state median of $21,692. The school district spending/student has declined by 5% over four school years.
This School District
This State (IL)
Total Revenue
$41 MM
$41,381 MM
Spending
$37 MM
$39,976 MM
Revenue / Student
$14,931
$22,455
Spending / Student
$13,493
$21,692

Best Waterloo CUSD 5 School District Public Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Rogers Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
200 Rogers St
Waterloo, IL 62298
(618) 939-3454
Gr: 2-3 | 417 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 7%
Rank: #22.
Waterloo Junior High School
(Math: 48% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
200 Bellefontaine Dr
Waterloo, IL 62298
(618) 939-3457
Gr: 6-8 | 613 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 6%
Rank: #33.
Gardner Elementary School
(Math: 42% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
1 Ed Gardner Pl
Waterloo, IL 62298
(618) 939-3060
Gr: 4-5 | 374 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 6%
Rank: #44.
Waterloo High School
(Math: 40% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
505 E Bulldog
Waterloo, IL 62298
(618) 939-3455
Gr: 9-12 | 876 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 7%
Rank: n/an/a
301 Hamacher St
Waterloo, IL 62298
(618) 939-3458
Gr: PK-1 | 487 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 7%

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Waterloo CUSD 5 School District?
Waterloo CUSD 5 School District manages 5 public schools serving 2,767 students.
What is the rank of Waterloo CUSD 5 School District?
Waterloo CUSD 5 School District is ranked #97 out of 861 school districts in Illinois (top 20%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Illinois school districts for: Highest overall rank (Top 20%), Highest math proficiency (Top 10%), Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%), Highest science proficiency (Top 20%), Highest graduation rate (Top 10%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Waterloo CUSD 5 School District?
93% of Waterloo CUSD 5 School District students are White, 3% of students are Hispanic, 3% of students are Two or more races, and 1% of students are Asian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Waterloo CUSD 5 School District?
Waterloo CUSD 5 School District has a student/teacher ratio of 16:1, which is higher than the Illinois state average of 14:1.
What is Waterloo CUSD 5 School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $13,493 is less than the state median of $21,692. The school district spending/student has declined by 5% over four school years.

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 5 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 2,767 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 7%
  • : 93% (Top 10% in IL)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 48% (Top 10%)
  • : 47% (Top 20%)
  • : 71% (Top 20%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IL Dept. of Education

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