C
Payson Community Unit School District 1
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 7 towns
Serves Melrose, Payson, Payson, Burton, Richfield, Plainville and Fall Creek.
Students
449
Schools
2
Spent per student
$14,712
IL $21,567
Students per teacher
11:1
Free or reduced lunch
50%
Debt
$1.2M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Payson Community Unit School District 1
- School Grade C: better than 25% of Illinois districts
- Math proficiency 10 pts below the state
- Reading / language arts 13 pts below the state
- Graduation rate (4-year) 8 pts above the state
- Spends 32% less per student than the IL average
- 11 students per teacher
- Enrollment down 12.5% since 2020
- Debt of $1.2M, about $2,664 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Hettick.
PK–6Northwestern Elem SchoolNorthwestern Community Unit School District 2
7–8Northwestern Jr High SchoolNorthwestern Community Unit School District 2
9–12Northwestern High SchoolNorthwestern Community Unit School District 2
Test scores vs. IL
2020–21Math proficiency16%
State average 25.8%
Reading / language arts18%
State average 30.7%
Graduation rate (4-year)95%
State average 87.3% · small group: the state reports 90–100%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$14,712 per student · 32% below IL
Spending
Classroom instruction 52%Support & administration 43%Other 5%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 40%State 49%Federal 11%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
513’20
487’21
493’22
479’23
449’24
Down 12.5% since 2020.
Students
White 92%Two or more races 5%Hispanic 2%Black <1%
Schools in the district
2 public schools.
Towns served
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
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.