Education is a top priority in Plainfield where students of all ages are provided a top-quality, comprehensive, student-centered education.
The Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 has been the fourth-largest public school system in Illinois for several years, covering 64 square miles that includes parts of Bolingbrook, Crest Hill, Joliet, Lockport, Naperville, Plainfield, Romeoville and unincorporated areas.
The district strives for excellence and has continually progressed over the last several years. Approximately 93 percent of District 202 students graduate, and they are graduating with increasingly high test scores. In 2012, the district’s ACT composite score was higher than both the state and national average for the first time. The composite score of 21.3, up from 20.7 last year, was a record high for the school.
The district encompasses 30 schools which include 17 elementary schools, seven middle schools, four traditional high schools, an alternative school and an early learning center.
District 202’s official 2015-2016 enrollment was 27,879 students based on the 2015 state Fall Housing Report.
In 1990, the district counted five schools and about 3,500 students. District 202 experienced tremendous growth between 1997 and 2008. During that period, District 202’s enrollment increased by about 1,000 to 2,700 students a year.
The district’s enrollment growth stopped when the recession hit in 2008. However, more moderate enrollment growth is expected to resume when the economy improves, probably at a pace of several hundred new students annually.
District 202 schools do well overall on state standardized tests. Student achievement has improved dramatically since the early 2000s, and District 202 also made significant progress in closing the achievement gap between its white and minority students:
- ACT: Class of 2015 20.8 (district); 20.7 (state); 21.0 (national).
- About 93 percent of all District 202 students graduate, compared to about 83 percent statewide.
After graduation, students can move on to several local colleges and universities. Diverse offerings throughout the nearby colleges make it easy for everyone to find the right fit. Students will find opportunities to earn associate, bachelor’s and advanced degrees at schools public or private, large or small, with a wide variety of degree programs.