Waukegan Community Unit School District 60

What Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 does

Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 (DBA: Waukegan Public Schools) is a state-authorized public K-12 school district headquartered at 214 Washington Street, Waukegan, Illinois, serving approximately 17,000 students across pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district operates 23 school sites — 15 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, Waukegan High School (Brookside and Washington campuses), the Alternative/Optional Education Center, and the Robbie M. Lightfoot Early Learning Center — supported by approximately 2,000 staff members. Its product portfolio spans core K-12 instruction, special education (Diverse Learners), bilingual and multicultural education, gifted and accelerated programs, fine arts (including the WAUK-PAC K-8 theater program), athletics, and the E.P.I.C. Pre-K program, alongside support services such as the Wraparound Center for mental health and trauma services, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), transportation, and the Summer Meals program.

The district's technology stack is composed of integrated third-party edtech platforms rather than proprietary systems: Infinite Campus as the student information system (parent/student portal, registration, online payments via a switched payment processor as of June 23, 2026), Stopfinder for bus tracking, Nutrislice for nutrition menus, SchoolMessenger for website/communications infrastructure, Clever for learning platform access, and a 1:1 Chromebook device program. Governance operates through BoardDocs/Diligent Community, with a forthcoming "Rooms" two-way messaging tool. The district maintains SOPPA student data privacy compliance and an IB World School authorization at Clark Elementary (Primary Years Programme). Technology is positioned as enabling infrastructure for instruction and family communication, not as a differentiator.

Waukegan CUSD 60 is a government state entity funded through local property taxes, state per-pupil aid formulas, and federal grants, with an annual Education Fund budget of approximately $149 million. The district generates no product revenue; small registration, athletics, and Chromebook repair fees are collected through Infinite Campus online payments with waivers available. Revenue and enrollment are governed by Illinois school funding law and attendance zone boundaries, within which the district operates as a monopoly provider. Strategic direction is set by the publicly available Destination 2028 plan, and operational accountability is exercised through an elected Board of Education, recent principal appointments for the 2026-2027 school year, and nine consecutive Meritorious Budget Awards from ASBO International.

Name

Waukegan Community Unit School District 60

Legal name

Waukegan Community Unit School District #60

Website

https://wps60.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1856

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 is a state-authorized public K-12 school district in Waukegan, Illinois, operating 23 schools and serving approximately 17,000 pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students with an annual Education Fund budget of approximately $149 million, funded through property taxes, state per-pupil aid, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• Pre-kindergarten programs
• Special education services
• Bilingual education
• Gifted and accelerated programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Waukegan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: As a public school district, revenue is generated through local property taxes, state funding (based on per-pupil formulas), and federal grants. The district operates with an annual Education Fund budget of approximately $149 million.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 is a public K-12 school district operating 21 schools that delivers comprehensive pre-kindergarten through 12th grade educational services to approximately 17,000 students in Waukegan, Illinois. Its core offering spans general academic instruction, special education (Diverse Learners), bilingual and multicultural education, gifted and accelerated programs, fine arts, athletics, transportation, nutrition, and student health services, supplemented by a Wraparound Center providing therapeutic and social-emotional support through community agency partnerships.

Product overview

Waukegan Community Unit School District #60 is a public K-12 educational institution operating 21 schools (15 elementary, 5 middle, 1 high school with two campuses) serving pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students. The district offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services including core academic programs, magnet schools, special education (Diverse Learners), bilingual/multicultural education, fine arts, gifted programs, and the WAUK-PAC theater program. Technology-enabled services include Infinite Campus for student information/portal/payments, 1:1 device program with Chromebooks, Stopfinder bus tracking, and online learning through Clever. Support services encompass Wraparound Center for therapeutic support, MTSS framework, Academia 60 parent education, summer meals, athletics, and nutrition services. The district serves approximately 13,000+ students with an annual Education Fund budget of $149 million and approximately 2,000 staff.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 Educational Programs Comprehensive public school education services spanning pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, including general education, magnet programs, special education (Diverse Learners), bilingual/multicultural education, fine arts, and gifted/accelerated programs across 21 schools.
• E.P.I.C Pre-K Program Early childhood pre-kindergarten program providing early education services at multiple program sites across the district to prepare children for kindergarten.
• Wraparound Center Services One-stop location for students, families, and community residents to receive therapeutic support and access to services from community agencies including A Safe Place (sexual abuse/domestic violence), Community Youth Network (mental health), and GRO (trauma services).
• Transportation Services School bus transportation services for students with Stopfinder app providing real-time bus tracking and notifications to families.
• Summer Meals Program Free breakfast and lunch program available to all Waukegan children during summer break at multiple school sites.
• School Nutrition Services Food service program providing meals to students during the school year, with nutritional information available through Nutrislice platform and wellness policy compliance.
• Athletics Program High school and middle school athletic programs including various sports teams and competitive athletics.
• Waukegan Performing Arts Company (WAUK-PAC) K-8 theater program featuring student productions including musicals and plays, with students from elementary and middle schools participating as cast and crew.
• Waukegan High School Music Program Music education program offering band, choir, orchestra, and mariachi, with competitive achievements including top 3 finish in IHSA Class AA state competitions.
• Student Health Services Health services department providing student health support, immunizations, and medical requirements coordination.
• Academia 60 Parent Education Series Parent education workshops providing information and resources to support student success, with childcare and interpretation services available.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9 consecutive Meritorious Budget Awards from ASBO International demonstrating financial transparency
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• A Safe PlacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024A Safe Place is a Direct Service Provider at the Wraparound Center, focusing on sexual abuse and domestic violence support and counseling services for students, families, and community residents.
• Community Youth Network (CYN) Counseling CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024CYN is a Direct Service Provider at the Wraparound Center, focusing on mental health support and social-emotional counseling services.
• GRO (Gaining Results Now)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRO provides mental health counseling and specializes in services for individuals with trauma-impacted behavior challenges at the Wraparound Center.
• Waukegan to CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership hosting Family Listening Tours in collaboration with the district. Families do not need to have a child enrolled in the Waukegan to College program to attend listening sessions.
• Central PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a community partner through the Family and Community Engagement (F.A.C.E.) department, providing resources and support for district families.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Public Schools (CPS): Largest public K-12 district in Illinois and a direct functional comparator: serves a diverse, urban, multilingual student population with full Pre-K-12 programming, magnet schools, IB campuses, Wraparound-style social services, and ASBO-recognized budgeting — but at vastly greater scale than Waukegan CUSD 60.

Direct peers

• North Chicago School District 187: Adjacent Lake County public K-12 district serving a similarly diverse, multilingual, urban student population with comparable socioeconomic demographics; direct geographic peer and likely competitor for enrollment on Waukegan's southern border.
• Rockford Public Schools District 205: Mid-sized Illinois urban public K-12 district serving a comparably diverse student body with magnet, bilingual, special education, and fine arts programming; one of the closest scale and demographic analogs to Waukegan CUSD 60 outside the Chicago metro.
• Elgin Area School District U-46: Third-largest school district in Illinois serving a highly diverse, multilingual Pre-K-12 population in the Chicago suburbs; closely comparable to Waukegan on enrollment scale (~38,000), bilingual programs, and magnet/IB offerings.
• Aurora East School District 131: Illinois urban-suburban public K-12 district serving a similarly diverse, predominantly Hispanic and bilingual student population with magnet and IB programs; closely comparable on demographics, ELL share, and district size to Waukegan CUSD 60.
• Joliet Public Schools District 86: Mid-sized Illinois urban-suburban K-12 public district with similar demographics, bilingual programming, and Pre-K-12 grade span; comparable on enrollment scale, free-and-reduced-lunch share, and PBIS adoption to Waukegan CUSD 60.
• Round Lake Area School District 116: Adjacent Lake County public K-12 district with similar demographic profile and ELL share; serves as a direct neighboring district and potential enrollment competitor for Waukegan-area families.
• Cicero School District 99: Chicago-area urban-suburban public K-12 district with heavily Hispanic, bilingual student population and comparable Title I-eligible demographics; relevant operational peer for ELL programming and dual-language models similar to Waukegan's.

Regional players

• Township High School District 113: Lake County secondary-only public high school district serving Deerfield and Highland Park; comparable as a regional Lake County education operator with strong academic and fine arts (IHSA music) reputation — relevant for benchmarking WHS's music program and college-readiness outcomes.
• Maine Township High School District 207: Chicago suburban secondary-only public district serving Des Plaines, Park Ridge, and surrounding communities; comparable as a regional Illinois high-school operator with similar grade-span scope to Waukegan High School's Brookside/Washington campuses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/waukeganschools
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/waukeganpublicschools
• Facebookfacebook.com/WaukeganPublicSchools

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waukegan Community Unit School District 60