German Valley Grade School

Set in Forreston, Illinois, German Valley Grade School is a rural-scale elementary school, part of Forrestville Valley CUSD 221. It works with 70 students across grades pre-K through K. Enrollment runs roughly 82% leaner than the state mean of about 381.

Forrestville Valley CUSD 221 comprises 3 schools with combined enrollment of 714 students; German Valley Grade School is among them.

Demographically, German Valley Grade School records that nearly all students (87%) are White. Beyond that, the school reports 7% Hispanic, 4% multiracial.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, German Valley Grade School has 5 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 14.1:1. That tracks the state average closely. An estimated 29% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is south of Stephenson County's rate of about 50%.

Around the school, ACS estimates for Stephenson County put the typical household earns roughly $64,043 per year, 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Stephenson County's 23 public schools (combined enrollment of about 6,092 students), German Valley Grade School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Forreston Jr/Sr High Sch, roughly 8.0 miles away. Within ten miles, there are 8 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas.

The school occupies a low-density site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at German Valley Grade School has edged down 14%, going from 81 students in 2018 to 70 in 2025. Class-load math has fell: from 19.1:1 in 2018 to 14.1:1 in 2025.

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