Crystal Lake School Districts Explained: D47, D155, D26, and D300

District 47 (D47) — Community Unit School District 47 covers most of Crystal Lake and Lake in the Hills for grades K-8. This is the primary elementary and middle school district for Crystal Lake residents.

District 155 (D155) — Community High School District 155 serves Crystal Lake, Cary, and Lake in the Hills for grades 9-12. All D47 students feed into D155 high schools.

District 26 (D26) — Cary School District 26 covers Cary, Oakwood Hills, and Trout Valley for grades K-8. D26 students feed into D155 (specifically Cary-Grove High School).

District 300 (D300) — Community Unit School District 300 serves Algonquin, Lake in the Hills (eastern portions), Huntley-adjacent areas for grades K-12. D300 is a unified district with its own high schools.

D47 operates multiple elementary schools (K-5) and three middle schools (6-8):

Middle Schools:

• Hannah Beardsley Middle School (720 students, rating 6/10)
• Richard Bernotas Middle School (890 students, rating 7/10)
• Lundahl Middle School (680 students, rating 6/10)

Elementary Schools include: Coventry, Glacier Ridge, Husmann, West, Canterbury, Mary Endres, and more.

D47 schools emphasize technology integration and offer robust special education and gifted programs. The district has been investing in facility upgrades and STEM programming.

D155 operates four high schools, all with strong academics and athletics:

• Crystal Lake Central — 1,580 students, rating 7/10, downtown location
• Crystal Lake South — 1,720 students, rating 7/10, larger campus with extensive athletics
• Prairie Ridge — 1,610 students, rating 7/10, newest school with modern facilities
• Cary-Grove — 1,540 students, rating 8/10, consistently top-rated with state championship athletics

Which school will your kids attend? It depends entirely on your home address within the district boundaries. Use the D155 boundary tool on d155.org to look up your specific school assignment.

• Check before you buy: School boundaries don't always align with city limits. A Crystal Lake mailing address doesn't guarantee D47/D155 — some areas fall into D300.
• Open enrollment: Limited open enrollment options exist within D155; contact the district for current policies.
• Private alternatives: Montessori School of McHenry County and several parochial schools serve the area.
• McHenry County College (MCC): Located nearby for dual-credit and post-secondary options.
• Property taxes: 62% of your property tax bill goes to school districts — the tradeoff for strong public schools.