We’re proud of the excellent educational institutions that prepare our students for the next steps of their lives.
Hancock County’s primary/secondary schools, community college branch campus, and nearby public and private universities offer high caliber, lifelong educational opportunities for our residents. State-of-the-art facilities and access to the latest technology ensures that graduates are prepared to meet the needs of area businesses and industries.
Elementary & Secondary Schools
Carthage Elementary #317
Our mission is to provide an educationally challenging environment which will prepare all students to be confident, capable, contributing members of society.
Dallas Elementary District #327
Preparing today’s students to be tomorrow’s community leaders by providing rigorous academic programs.
Hamilton CCSD #328 Elementary & Jr/Sr High School
Committed to providing every student with diverse academic and extra-curricular experiences in a positive, supportive, and safe learning environment. These opportunities will prepare students for a successful future of their choice and become productive citizens in their community.
Illini West High School District #307
Illini West High School, in cooperation with parents and the community, will empower students to become engaged, contributing members of our school, our community, and our world.
La Harpe CSD #347 Elementary & Jr. High School
Seek to provide an opportunity for each student to develop to his or her maximum potential.
Nauvoo-Colusa CUSD #325 Elementary & Jr. High School
Nauvoo-Colusa School District strives to provide a positive, secure environment where dedicated professionals encourage ALL students to achieve their maximum potential. All students are accepted as equal and given the opportunity to receive an education which fits their needs, and which will help them find their places as productive citizens in a global society. Academic and critical thinking skills are emphasized and lifelong learning is encouraged for ALL students.
Southeastern CUSD #337 Elementary & Jr/Sr High School
Our mission is to provide a quality education within a safe, orderly, and disciplined environment where every student will develop the academic and life skills to be independent, productive citizens.
Warsaw CUSD #316 Elementary & High School
Our mission is to prepare all young people to meet the challenges of a changing world. Our goal is to ensure all students develop the academic, practical, and social skills essential for responsible, ethical, productive citizenship in an ever-changing global society.
St. Peter & Paul School Private Elementary
With the help of God's grace, we form the mind, body, and spirit of each child within our school family. We form children to be Leaders for Christ.
Higher Educational Institutions
Carl Sandburg College – Carthage Branch Campus
The Carl Sandburg College Carthage Branch Campus serves the communities, businesses, organizations and school districts in Hancock County. The full-service campus provides baccalaureate, career and community education programs. Some popular career and technical programs offered at the Branch Campus include nursing assistant, criminal justice, accounting, business administration, and office occupations programs. High school students take advantage of dual credit coursework offered at the Branch Campus and/or at their high schools.
John Wood Community College
Located in Quincy in nearby Adams County, John Wood Community College is the educational link between business and community. JWCC collaboratively creates innovative and relevant academic and training programs with business leaders to educate young people and the workforce for today’s needs and tomorrow’s opportunities. Programs include a comprehensive baccalaureate transfer curriculum, customized business training, career/technical degrees and certificates and personal enrichment courses.
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is located in Macomb, Illinois, just a short distance from Hancock County. Recognized as a “Best Midwestern College” by Princeton Review and as one of 37 public universities ranked a “Best Midwestern University” by U.S. News & World Report, WIU offers a variety of in-demand bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, pre-professional programs, two doctoral degrees, and certificate programs. WIU is home to the Illinois Small Business Development Center (http://wiusbdc.org/) and Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (https://www.iira.org/), both great resources for starting and growing a business in Hancock County.
Nearby higher education resources include: Quincy University https://www.quincy.edu/ , Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences in Quincy https://www.brcn.edu/ , Southeastern Community College in Keokuk, Iowa, https://www.scciowa.edu/ , and Spoon River College’s Macomb Campus https://www.src.edu/
Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities
Hancock County CEO
Hancock County Economic Development is proud to be the underwriter for Hancock County CEO. CEO, or Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities, is a year-long course designed to utilize partnerships that provide an overview of business development and processes. Entrepreneurship education seeks to prepare people, especially youth, to be responsible, enterprising individuals who become entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial thinkers and contribute to economic development and sustainable communities.
The CEO program is much more than a textbook course. Rather, students are immersed in real life learning experiences with the opportunity to take risks, manage the results, and learn from the outcomes.