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 Newcomb.
K–6Fisher Grade SchoolFisher Community Unit School District 1
7–12Fisher Jr/Sr High SchoolFisher Community Unit School District 1
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.