Three-fourths of Lincoln-Way 210 didn't exist when the millenium turned.
Although the district dates back to 1951, according to the official district history, it was one school, now known as Lincoln-Way Central, for the next half-century.
The housing boom of the 1990s brought droves of new families to the Mokena, Frankfort and New Lenox area, filling the five local elementary school districts. Eventually, those kids became high-school aged, requiring the district quadruple.
Lincoln-Way East opened in the fall of 2001, Lincoln-Way North in August 2008 and Lincoln-Way West a year later.
Enrollment was always the driver, but West was at less than half of its 2,500-student capacity during the 2010-11 school year.
Watch video of Superintendent Lawrence Wyllie saying why the district won't close West.
Despite this massive growth in the tax base, state cuts put the district in a budget crisis that could get into the millions over the next few years.
The attached chart shows D210's enrollment growth between the 1999-2000 and the 2010-11 school years, the first and last years readily available from the Illinois State Board of Education School Report Card search.
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| 4,682 | 4,961 | 5,117 | 5,551 | 5,854 | 6,190 | 6,632 | 6,844 | 7,061 | 7,064 | 7,259 | 7,372 |
Look at the last five years of enrollment numbers from the five Lincoln-Way feeder districts.
Search our Patch Places directory for more information on the following districts:
In This article
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Mokena Public School District 159
11244 Willow Crest Ln, Mokena, IL -
Haven Administrative Center
102 S Cedar Rd, New Lenox, IL -
Mary Drew Elementary School
20130 S Rosewood Dr, Frankfort, IL -
Grand Prairie Elementary School
10480 Nebraska St, Frankfort, IL -
Lincoln-Way Central High School
1801 E Lincoln Hwy, New Lenox, IL
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Lincoln-Way East High School
201 Colorado Ave, Frankfort, IL -
Lincoln-Way West High School
21701 Gougar Rd, New Lenox, IL -
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