Franklin Elem School

Located at 1510 E 25th St, in Sterling, Illinois, Franklin Elem School is an average-sized elementary school that works with 407 students (grades pre-K through 2), part of Sterling CUSD 5.

Within Sterling CUSD 5, which oversees 6 schools and 3,253 students, Franklin Elem School is one campus in the system.

Looking at the student body, Franklin Elem School records that White students make up the majority at 57%. Other groups include 33% Hispanic, 6% multiracial, 2% Black. That is noticeably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 85%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Franklin Elem School has 30 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.6:1. That tracks the state average closely. Around 55% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

Zooming out to the county, ACS estimates for Whiteside County put the typical household earns roughly $67,500 per year, 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 8%. In all, Whiteside County runs 50 public schools (combined enrollment of about 8,445 students), of which Franklin Elem School is one.

Jefferson Elem School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.7 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Franklin Elem School has ticked up 9%, going from 374 students in 2018 to 407 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share ticked up from 25% to 33%. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 16.7:1 in 2018 to 13.6:1 today.

On allk12, posts here usually surface around open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.