Rockford Public Schools (aka RPS 205) is one of the largest districts in Illinois, but its neighborhood school model means elementary school kids can walk to school with their neighbors.

When it comes to specialized programs, the large district size means Rockford families have options like:

• Montessori starting in PreK

• STEAM Academy, two-way language immersion, and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs starting in kindergarten

• Gifted Academy starting in first grade

• Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) starting in sixth grade

RPS 205 high schoolers benefit from Academies, small learning communities that allow students to choose career pathways. Each pathway provides real-world experience — and many offer dual credit or industry certifications, too. Multiple RPS 205 Academies have earned Model Status with Distinction from the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC).

In 2024, RPS 205 expanded its investment in preparing students for tomorrow’s job opportunities by opening The QUAD, a campus where students from Auburn, East, Guilford, and Jefferson High Schools come together to take advanced classes in a state-of-the-art facility with cutting-edge equipment. These students have access to specialized fields of study like manufacturing, engineering, culinary, IT, and nursing/pre-med.

Through Rockford Promise, eligible Rockford public high school students can attend one of four partner institutions — Rock Valley College, Rockford University, Northern Illinois University, or Saint Anthony College of Nursing — for free.

Eligibility requirements include attending all 4 high school years at an RPS 205 or partner high school and maintaining a 2.5 GPA.