Freeport SD 145 Spends Over $20,000 Per Student
April 1, 2026 - FREEPORT, IL
Freeport School District 145 is spending more than $20,000 per student, according to data from the Illinois State Board of Education.
That’s a significant investment.
And it raises a simple question:
Are students getting results that match what’s being spent?
Where the Money Is Going
The state breaks school spending into two main parts:
At the school level:
Teachers
Staff
Classroom support
At the district level:
Administration
Transportation
Shared services
All of these costs are added together and divided by the number of students.
That’s how the district reaches an average of over $20,000 per student.
Spending Is Not the Same Everywhere
The data shows that costs vary depending on the school:
Freeport High School: $23,019 per student
Freeport Middle School: $19,535 per student
Elementary schools fall into a similar range:
Lincoln-Douglas: $18,569
Jones-Farrar: $18,475
Blackhawk: $18,653
There is also a district-wide category labeled “Other”:
$25,194 per student
This includes costs not tied to one school, such as administration and system-wide services.
What “Adequacy” Means — In Plain Terms
The report says Freeport is at 74.5% of its “adequacy target.”
Here’s what that means:
The state has a formula for how much money a district should have to meet student needs.
Freeport is currently at about three-quarters of that goal.
So even with more than $20,000 being spent per student…
👉 The state still considers the district not fully funded.
Student Needs Play a Role
Freeport serves a student population with a wide range of needs:
59.5% low-income students
11.5% English learners
14.9% students with special education plans (IEPs)
These factors can increase costs and require additional support.
The Bigger Question: Results
At the same time, the district continues to face challenges in key areas:
Students struggling in math early on
Many falling behind by 9th grade
Gaps in graduation rates
Fewer students continuing on to college
Taken together, these issues point to a larger concern:
Are resources being used in a way that leads to better outcomes?
From Gladys’ Window
Gladys doesn’t follow education reports.
She hears two things:
“We need more funding.”
“We’re spending over $20,000 per student.”
And she asks a simple question:
“If that’s what we’re spending… why aren’t things better?”
Why This Matters
This report is not meant to provide all the answers.
It’s meant to help communities understand where money is going.
And to ask whether that money is being used in the most effective way.
Because at the end of the day, families care about one thing:
Are students succeeding?
The Bottom Line
Freeport SD 145 is making a significant investment in its students.
That much is clear.
What is less clear is whether that investment is leading to the results the community expects.
And that is a question that is becoming harder to ignore.