What Community Unit School District 308 does

Community Unit School District 308 (operating as SD308) is a public K-12 school district headquartered at 4175 Route 71 in Oswego, Illinois, tracing its origins to 1837. The district is the 7th largest public school district in Illinois and serves approximately 16,700 to 17,000 students across 24 schools and programs, covering 68.8 square miles across portions of Oswego, Aurora, Joliet, Montgomery, Plainfield, and Yorkville. The school footprint comprises 13 elementary schools, 5 junior high schools, 2 high schools (Oswego High School and Oswego East High School), an alternative school, a therapeutic day school, an early childhood center, and a transition center. The district employs 2,477 staff, making it the largest employer in Kendall County, and reports a 93.8% teacher retention rate with 73% of teachers holding a Master's degree or higher.

The educational program spans early childhood (preschool), elementary K-5, junior high 6-8, and high school 9-12 instruction, supplemented by specialized services including Multilingual Learners (ESL and Dual Language K-8), Special Education (IEP, 504, assistive technology, work-based learning), Gifted Education, AVID college-readiness, performing arts, athletics, and competitive robotics. Operational technology is built on a standardized K-12 stack: PowerSchool serves as the Student Information System for enrollment, grades, attendance, and the parent/student portal; Google Workspace for Education supports classroom and collaboration tools for grades 5-12; Chromebooks are issued 1:1 to grades 5-12; PushCoin processes fee and lunch payments; Frontline (AESOP) handles substitute scheduling; IncidentIQ runs IT support; and PeachJar distributes digital flyers. Transportation, food services (with the National School Lunch Program), and performing arts centers are operated as in-house support services.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid public-funding model rather than commercial sales: local property tax revenue is the primary funding source, supplemented by Illinois state aid (general and categorical), federal grants (Title I, Title II, IDEA), student fees collected via PushCoin (registration, technology, lunch, and activity fees ranging from $60 for half-day kindergarten to $195 for high school), and development/donations through alumni and corporate sponsorships. Customer concentration is structurally limited by district boundaries, with families enrolling through a Central Registration office at the District Administration Center. Strategic positioning centers on the proposed $317 million "Update 308" bond referendum scheduled for the November 2026 ballot to fund facility improvements across 22 schools.

Name

Community Unit School District 308

Legal name

Oswego Community Unit School District 308

Website

https://sd308.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1837

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Community Unit School District 308 is a public K-12 school district headquartered in Oswego, Illinois, serving approximately 17,000 students across 24 schools and programs within 68.8 square miles of Kendall County, funded primarily through property taxes, state aid, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Early childhood education
• Special education services
• Student transportation services
• School food services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oswego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: Primary funding source from local property taxes within district boundaries covering portions of Oswego, Montgomery, Aurora, Plainfield, Joliet, and Yorkville.
2. State Funding (Illinois): Illinois State funding including general state aid and categorical funding for specific programs like Special Education, Transportation, and Title programs.
3. Federal Grants: Federal funding including Title I, Title II, IDEA, and other federal education grants.
4. Student Fees: Registration fees, technology fees, lunch fees, and activity fees collected from families through PushCoin payment system.
5. Development and Donations: Alumni donations, corporate sponsorships, annual appeals, and planned giving programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Community Unit School District 308 provides comprehensive K-12 public education to nearly 17,000 students across 24 schools and programs in Oswego, Illinois. The district delivers early childhood education (Preschool), elementary (K-5), junior high (6-8), and high school (9-12) instruction, supplemented by specialized programs in Special Education, Multilingual Learners, Gifted Education, AVID college-readiness, and Career and Technical Education. Supporting services include student transportation, food services, performing arts centers, and technology support with Chromebooks (1:1 for grades 5-12).

Product overview

Oswego Community Unit School District 308 is a K-12 public school district serving approximately 16,700 students across 24 schools and programs. The district operates as a unified educational services provider encompassing early childhood education, elementary (K-5), junior high (6-8), and high school (9-12) programs. Core academic programs are supplemented by specialized services including Multilingual Learners (ESL/Dual Language), Special Education, Gifted Education, and AVID college-readiness. The district provides technology support, transportation, food services, and operates performing arts centers. Administrative functions utilize PowerSchool SIS for enrollment and grade management, PushCoin for fee payments, and various communication platforms including CatapultCMS, Google Workspace, and PeachJar for family engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Childhood Education (Preschool) Early childhood programs serving children ages 3-5, including Preschool for All (PFA), Special Education Services, and Tuition-Based Preschool, held at Brokaw Early Learning Center and select elementary schools.
• Elementary Education (K-5) K-5 general education program serving 13 elementary schools across the district with core academics, AVID college-readiness program, and Diverse Learners support.
• Junior High Education (6-8) 6-8 grade middle school program across 5 junior high schools with departmentalized instruction, exploratory courses, and comprehensive support services.
• High School Education (9-12) 9-12 high school programs at Oswego High School and Oswego East High School including comprehensive academics, college career readiness, course catalog, and assessments.
• Multilingual Learners Program English Learner services including ESL Resource, Dual Language (K-8), Sheltered English Instruction, and bilingual education across multiple elementary and junior high schools.
• Special Education Services Comprehensive special education including 504 accommodations, assistive technology, IEP services, EPEC, and Work-Based Learning for students with disabilities.
• Gifted Education Program Gifted education with acceleration options including whole-grade acceleration and single-subject acceleration, plus parent resources and placement appeals process.
• Robotics Program Competitive robotics including FRC (Gear it Forward), FLL teams, and WOW program with community sponsorships.
• Performing Arts Center Multi-venue performing arts facilities including Oswego East Performing Arts Center and Barnes Performing Arts Center with ticketing, memberships, and subscriptions.
• Transportation Services Student transportation with Here Comes The Bus tracking, eligibility based on distance/hazards, and support for IEP/special needs students.
• Food Services National School Lunch Program with free/reduced meals, PushCoin wallet for lunch payments, and nutrislice menu platform.
• Technology Support IT help desk, Chromebook distribution/insurance, password reset, and technology FAQ for students, staff, and parents.
• Central Registration Student enrollment, residency verification, boundary maps, address locator, and kindergarten registration services.
• AVID College Readiness Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program building college-readiness skills across elementary through high school.
• Student Services Student support including attendance management, incident reporting, home insecurity support, visitor management, and supportive environment programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93.8% Teacher Retention Rate
• +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

Integration18 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aurora Education CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Superintendent Dr. Khelghati serves on the Aurora Education Commission alongside academic partners, working on joint policy development, strategy development, and innovative approaches to educational service delivery.
• Chick-fil-AminorOthersCorporate sponsor of the PRIDE Recognition Program, contributing to employee recognition efforts within the district.
• Culver'sminorOthersCorporate sponsor of the PRIDE Recognition Program, supporting staff appreciation initiatives.
• Huntington Learning CenterminorOthersEducational partner supporting PRIDE recognition and staff appreciation programs.
• Imagination Print & DesignminorOthersLocal business partner supporting PRIDE recognition program and district communications.
• ServbankminorOthersCorporate sponsor of PRIDE Recognition Program supporting district staff appreciation efforts.
• The ScoopminorOthersLocal partner supporting PRIDE recognition and community engagement initiatives.
• Illinois State Board of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState education authority providing funding oversight, compliance requirements, and educational standards for the district.
• Safe2Help IllinoiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner24/7 student safety program where students can use free app, text/phone, website and social media to report school safety issues confidentially.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Indian Prairie School District 204: Adjacent Illinois public K-12 district serving Aurora/Naperville/Plainfield with overlapping geography and similar suburban growth profile; directly comparable in scale, programming, and community profile.
• Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: Overlapping Will/Kendall county service area with similar residential-growth demographics and K-12 structure; competes for the same family pool along shared boundaries.
• Yorkville Community School District 115: Neighboring Kendall County district with overlapping attendance boundaries; comparable suburban K-12 operating model and family demographic profile.
• Aurora East School District 131: Aurora-based K-12 public district serving a portion of the same city that overlaps SD 308's boundaries; directly comparable as a competing public K-12 provider in the region.

Regional players

• Joliet Public Schools District 86: K-12 public district covering Joliet, which overlaps with the SD 308 service area; comparable as a regional K-12 competitor with similar Illinois funding model.
• Minooka Community Consolidated School District 201: Southwest suburban Chicago-area K-12 public district with similar growth-driven enrollment profile and overlapping feeder patterns to Joliet-area communities.
• Valley View School District 365U: Will County K-12 public district serving Bolingbrook/Romeoville with similar suburban demographics and Illinois funding structure; overlaps with portions of SD 308's commuting region.

Broad incumbents

• Elgin Area School District U-46: One of the largest Illinois public K-12 districts (second-largest by enrollment); comparable in scale, diverse-learner programming, and suburban district operating model, though serving a different subregion.
• Naperville Community Unit School District 203: Highly regarded Illinois K-12 district serving adjacent Naperville/Aurora areas; competes for the same professional-family demographic and serves as a programming and outcomes benchmark.
• Chicago Public Schools: Largest public school district in Illinois; sets state-wide benchmarks for policy, funding, and programming, and serves as the broad-incumbent reference point for scale, regulatory complexity, and special education mandate exposure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sd308
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CommunityUnitSchoolDistrict308
• Facebookfacebook.com/CUSD308
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oswego-community-unit-school-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/cusd308

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries24 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 Community Unit School District 308