Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 22 schools in district

Waukegan High School

1011 Washington St, Waukegan, IL 60085Waukegan CUSD 60 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
4,355
Students
Total enrolled
$22,276
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 55% vs nat'l
17.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 12% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 4,355 students in grades 09–12 in Waukegan, Illinois.
55% above average funding
District spends $22,276 per pupil, 55% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Waukegan High School is a very large high in Waukegan, Illinois, serving grades 09–12 with 4,355 students. The district invests $22,276 per student — 55% above the national average of $14,347, with a 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 65% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Waukegan High School

4,355
Total Students
17.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
65%
Free Lunch
253
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution2,256 male · 2,099 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility65%
National avg 52% · 2,834 students
Student Composition
81%
13%
Asian2%
White2%
Hispanic / Latino81%
Black13%
Multiracial1%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 174125004141

Academic Outcomes at Waukegan High School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 30th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 60085

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$22,276Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$22,276
State avg
$20,102
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,802
Student Support$4,233
Administration$2,673
Operations$3,341
Other$2,228
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $22,276 spent per student, an estimated $9,868 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
63%
24%
State government
63.4%
Local (property tax)
24.4%
Federal programs
12.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $22,276/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Glenwood Elementary SchoolLyon Magnet Elementary SchoolNorth Elem SchoolGlen Flora Elem School
+11 more
↓
Middle
John R Lewis Middle SchoolMiguel Juarez Middle SchoolRobert E Abbott Middle SchoolJack Benny Middle School
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyLake County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWaukegan CUSD 60 →
Phone: (224)303-3000
NCES ID: 174125004141
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Waukegan seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Waukegan CUSD 60
Mid
John R Lewis Middle School
774 students · 06–08
● 40 opp72% FRL
Mid
Miguel Juarez Middle School
672 students · 06–08
● 40 opp69% FRL
Elem
Glenwood Elementary School
641 students · KG–05
● 40 opp68% FRL
Mid
Robert E Abbott Middle School
630 students · 06–08
● 40 opp69% FRL
Mid
Jack Benny Middle School
529 students · 06–08
● 45 opp61% FRL
Mid
Edith M Smith Middle School
503 students · 06–08
● 40 opp72% FRL
Elem
Lyon Magnet Elementary School
468 students · KG–05
● 40 opp66% FRL
Elem
North Elem School
465 students · PK–05
● 40 opp70% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1011 Washington St, Waukegan, IL 60085
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.