Ford County Schools & Education
Ford County, Illinois
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
65/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
88.2%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
88.2%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 88.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$10,551
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,250
School Score
65/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 63/100
State Score Position
#44
of 102 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Ford County
Measured School Summary
Ford County performs at an average level with a school score of 65/100 and a solid graduation rate of 88.2%.
Funding Context
Ford County spends $10,551 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 4% above the Illinois average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 14% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Ford County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
9 public schools and 3 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
65/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #44 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.
Completion
88.2%
0.6 pts below the state average
Funding context
$10,551
$1,301 above the state average
School coverage
9
3 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Ford County has 9 public schools across 3 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Ford County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Mixed school landscape
Ford County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.
State position
#44
of 102 Illinois counties with school score data. The county score is 2 points above the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10
Elementary to high school visible
1,296 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5
Elementary to high school visible
968 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Tri Point CUSD 6-J
Elementary and middle visible
263 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10 is the largest listed district slice, with 4 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Ford County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Ford County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Ford County, Illinois
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Streamlined Success Across Three Districts
Ford County maintains a focused educational system consisting of nine public schools serving 2,527 students. The landscape is perfectly balanced with three elementary, three middle, and three high schools. This structured approach ensures a clear pipeline for students as they progress through three local districts.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda Leads the County
Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10 is the largest district, educating 1,296 students across four campuses. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5 also plays a major role, serving 968 students in three schools. All schools in the county are traditional public institutions, with zero charter schools present.
A Predominantly Town-Based School Culture
While the county is rural, six of the nine schools are located in town settings, providing a centralized community feel. The average school size is 316 students, ranging from Clara Peterson Elementary at 624 students to smaller secondary campuses. This creates a small-town atmosphere where the school often serves as the social heart of the community.
School Overview
Total Schools
9
in Ford County
Reported Enrollment
2,527
9 schools reporting
School Districts
3
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
3 School Districts in Ford County
Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5
Tri Point CUSD 6-J
9 Public Schools in Ford County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 9 of 9 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clara Peterson Elem School | Record | Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10 | Paxton, 60957Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 624 |
| GCMS Elementary School | Record | Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5 | Gibson City, 60936Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 469 |
| Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School | Record | Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10 | Paxton, 60957Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 403 |
| GCMS High School | Record | Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5 | Gibson City, 60936Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 291 |
| Paxton-Buckley-Loda Jr High Sch | Record | Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10 | Paxton, 60957Town: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 269 |
| GCMS Middle School | Record | Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5 | Gibson City, 60936Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 208 |
| Tri-Point Jr High/Elementary | Record | Tri Point CUSD 6-J | Piper City, 60959Rural: Distant | 4–8 | Middle | 145 |
| Tri Point Elementary School | Record | Tri Point CUSD 6-J | Kempton, 60946Rural: Distant | PK–3 | Primary | 118 |
| Panther Academy | Record | Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10 | Paxton, 60957Town: Distant | 9–12 | Alternative | 0 |
Clara Peterson Elem School
Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10
Paxton, 60957 / Town: Distant
GCMS Elementary School
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5
Gibson City, 60936 / Town: Distant
Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School
Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10
Paxton, 60957 / Town: Distant
GCMS High School
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5
Gibson City, 60936 / Town: Distant
Paxton-Buckley-Loda Jr High Sch
Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10
Paxton, 60957 / Town: Distant
GCMS Middle School
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5
Gibson City, 60936 / Rural: Fringe
Tri-Point Jr High/Elementary
Tri Point CUSD 6-J
Piper City, 60959 / Rural: Distant
Tri Point Elementary School
Tri Point CUSD 6-J
Kempton, 60946 / Rural: Distant
Panther Academy
Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10
Paxton, 60957 / Town: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$10,551
State avg $9,250
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Ford County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Illinois counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Illinois?
How should I read the school score in Ford County?
What is the graduation rate in Ford County?
How much does Ford County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Ford County, Illinois — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Ford County, Illinois?
Ford County maintains a focused educational system consisting of nine public schools serving 2,527 students. The landscape is perfectly balanced with three elementary, three middle, and three high schools. This structured approach ensures a clear pipeline for students as they progress through three local districts.
What are the major school districts in Ford County, Illinois?
Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10 is the largest district, educating 1,296 students across four campuses. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5 also plays a major role, serving 968 students in three schools. All schools in the county are traditional public institutions, with zero charter schools present.
What is the school experience like in Ford County?
While the county is rural, six of the nine schools are located in town settings, providing a centralized community feel. The average school size is 316 students, ranging from Clara Peterson Elementary at 624 students to smaller secondary campuses. This creates a small-town atmosphere where the school often serves as the social heart of the community.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.