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3.0 avg / 10

Decatur Sd 61 School District

School District · Decatur, Illinois

Students: 7,827
Teachers (FTE): 410
Estimated Scores: 7%

Avg Rating

3.0

out of 10

Schools

15

11 elem, 1 mid, 2 high

Per-Pupil Spending

$15,611

Student-Teacher Ratio

19.1:1

District shortlistschools + peers

Evaluating Decatur Sd 61?

A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Decatur Sd 61 as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Eisenhower High School

5.8/10

Decatur · High. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.

Macarthur High School

4.7/10

Decatur · High. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.

Parsons Elementary School

3.5/10

Decatur · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.

How this district compares

Illinois rank

#637 of 637

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

-3.2

below Illinois avg

Per-pupil spending

$15,611

$1,079 vs Illinois median

District size

7,827 students

Much larger than Illinois median

The short answer

Decatur Sd 61 ranks #637 of 637 Illinois districts by overall school rating. Decatur Sd 61's schools with real test data average 2.9/10 across 14 schools. Its top-rated schools are Eisenhower High School (5.8/10), Macarthur High School (4.7/10), and Parsons Elementary School (3.5/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Eisenhower High School

Rates 5.8/10 despite 58% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.5 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Decatur Sd 61 schools.

Top-Rated Schools in Decatur Sd 61

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (14 of 15). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

# School Rating
1 Eisenhower High School 5.8 / 10
2 Macarthur High School 4.7 / 10
3 Parsons Elementary School 3.5 / 10
4 Franklin Grove Elem School 3.5 / 10
5 Dennis Lab School 3.3 / 10
6 Hope Academy 3.0 / 10
7 Johns Hill Magnet School 2.7 / 10
8 South Shores Elem School 2.5 / 10
9 Montessori Academy for Peace 2.2 / 10
10 American Dreamer Stem Academy 2.2 / 10

See all 15 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Decatur Sd 61

Decatur Sd 61 is a Decatur, Illinois school district serving 15 schools. The district educates 7,827 students with a student-teacher ratio of 19.1:1. The district invests $15,611 per student annually.

With an average rating of 3.0/10, Decatur Sd 61 has schools with varying levels of academic achievement.

The highest-rated school in the district is Eisenhower High School, which has a composite score of 5.8/10.

In standardized testing, Decatur Sd 61 students show an average math proficiency of 26.5% and ELA proficiency of 28.0%.

The district includes 11 elementary schools , 1 middle school , and 2 high schools.

District Map

Schools in Decatur Sd 61, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency 26.5%
School
State
N/A
ELA Proficiency 28.0%
School
State
N/A

Average proficiency across all schools in Decatur Sd 61 with test data.

District Details

City
Decatur
Total Enrollment
7,827
Teachers (FTE)
410
Child Poverty Rate
0.2%
Data Year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Decatur Sd 61?

Decatur Sd 61 has 15 schools in total — 11 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Decatur Sd 61?

The average composite rating for Decatur Sd 61 is 3.0/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the per-pupil spending in Decatur Sd 61?

Decatur Sd 61 spends $15,611 per student per year.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Decatur Sd 61?

The average student-teacher ratio in Decatur Sd 61 is 19.1:1.

What is the top-rated school in Decatur Sd 61?

Eisenhower High School is the highest-rated school in Decatur Sd 61 with a composite score of 5.8/10.

What are the test scores in Decatur Sd 61?

Across schools in Decatur Sd 61 with test data, the average math proficiency is 26.5% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 28.0%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Decatur Sd 61 compare to other districts in Illinois?

Decatur Sd 61 has an average school rating of 3.0/10 across 15 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Illinois by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools?

MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating
3.0/10
Math Proficiency
26.5%
ELA Proficiency
28.0%

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Illinois Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.

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