D−
Decatur School District 61
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 2 towns
Serves Decatur and Decatur, and parts of Hickory Point, Long Creek, Whitmore, South Wheatland and Oakley.
Students
7,840
Schools
16
Spent per student
$18,753
IL $21,567
Students per teacher
17:1
Free or reduced lunch
80%
Debt
$119.0M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Decatur School District 61
- School Grade D−: better than 3% of Illinois districts
- Math proficiency 23 pts below the state
- Reading / language arts 25 pts below the state
- Graduation rate (4-year) 11 pts below the state
- Spends 13% less per student than the IL average
- 17 students per teacher
- Debt of $119.0M, about $15,175 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Berlin.
PK–5New Berlin Elementary SchoolNew Berlin CUSD 16
6–8New Berlin Jr High SchoolNew Berlin CUSD 16
9–12New Berlin High SchoolNew Berlin CUSD 16
Test scores vs. IL
2020–21Math proficiency3%
State average 25.8%
Reading / language arts6%
State average 30.7%
Graduation rate (4-year)76%
State average 87.3%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$18,753 per student · 13% below IL
Spending
Classroom instruction 41%Support & administration 55%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 30%State 48%Federal 21%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
7,969’20
8,260’21
7,974’22
7,827’23
7,840’24
About steady.
Students
Black 51%White 26%Two or more races 15%Hispanic 7%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%
Schools in the district
16 public schools.
Johns Hill Magnet School
C−627 students15:1
Montessori Academy for Peace
C−586 students15:1
Dennis Lab School
C−579 students17:1
Parsons Elementary School
D−505 students16:1
Hope Academy
D−501 students14:1
Franklin Grove Elem School
D−461 students19:1
American Dreamer STEM Academy
D−423 students15:1
Muffley Elem School
D−386 students18:1
South Shores Elem School
D−335 students19:1
Robertson Charter School
D−327 students30:1
Michael E Baum Elem School
D−313 students18:1
Stephen Decatur Middle School
D413 students18:1
MacArthur High School
C−1,059 students20:1
Eisenhower High School
D909 students17:1
Pershing Early Learning Center
416 students26:1
Decatur Pub. Schs. Alt. Education
0 students0:1
Towns served
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
Mount Zion Community Unit School District 3Long Creek, Mount Zion, Mount Zion
$14,892per student
Cerro Gordo Community Unit School District 100Cerro Gordo
$15,754per student
Maroa-Forsyth Community Unit School District 2Forsyth, Maroa
$12,998per student
Meridian Community Unit School District 15Blue Mound, South Macon
$12,661per student
District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.