Sterling's Public Schools
Sterling Public Schools is the public school system for the city of Sterling. Sterling Public Schools have the benefit of both excellent educational opportunities and terrific facilities. Sterling has one high school, one middle school, four elementary schools, two K-2 buildings, and two 3-5 buildings that provide various programs that tailor to various needs. Sterling Public Schools is a Pre-K thru 12th-grade unit district of approximately 3600 students, configured into six different buildings. Franklin Elementary and Jefferson Elementary serve as the district's two Pre-K thru 2nd-grade learning centers, while Washington Elementary and Lincoln Elementary house grades three thru five. Challand Middle School, which is centrally located in the district, encompasses a true middle school philosophy for all 6th thru 8th-grade students in the district. Lastly, Sterling High School is a picturesque campus that accommodates many successful academic, fine arts, and athletic programs. Advanced placement, technology, school-to-work, and alternative school are some of the many ways Sterling Public Schools reach out to assist students. Extra-curricular activities run the gamut, ranging from scholastic bowl to speech and band to tennis. Sterling High School fields teams for all major sports. The vision of Sterling Public Schools is that upon graduation students are ready for life, college, or career. The mission of Sterling Public Schools is to ensure that students achieve by creating optimal learning environments.
Sterling's Private Schools
In addition to the Sterling public schools, the Sterling community also has several parochial schools. St. Mary's Catholic School offers K-8 education. Newman Central Catholic High School is the area Catholic High School. Christ Lutheran is located in Sterling.
Whiteside Area Career Center
Located next to the Sterling High School is the Whiteside Area Career Center (WACC). The Career Center is one of sixty-one regional vocational systems in Illinois. The center specializes in market and technology career preparation. Areas of study include agriculture, health occupations, industrial trades, and consumer science.
Sauk Valley Community College
Sauk Valley Community College is the regional two-year college for the area. The college is located along Highway 2, midway between Sterling and Dixon. Sauk valley offers numerous two-year specialty degrees, general degrees for students transferring to 4-year universities, and numerous technical programs and workshops.