schoolsbycounty

Alexander County Schools & Education

School Score

70/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

90.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

90.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$10,392

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,250

School Score

70/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 63/100

State Score Position

#36

of 102 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Alexander County

Measured School Summary

Alexander County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 70/100 and a graduation rate of 90.0%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

Alexander County spends $10,392 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 11% above the Illinois average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Alexander County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

7 public schools and 2 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

70/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #36 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.

Completion

90.0%

1.2 pts above the state average

Funding context

$10,392

$1,142 above the state average

School coverage

7

2 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Alexander County has 7 public schools across 2 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Alexander County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Small-system county

Alexander County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.

State position

#36

of 102 Illinois counties with school score data. The county score is 7 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Egyptian CUSD 5

Elementary to high school visible

377 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Cairo USD 1

Elementary and high visible

302 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Egyptian CUSD 5 is the largest listed district slice, with 3 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Alexander County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Alexander County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Alexander County, Illinois

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Small-Scale Learning in Southern Illinois

Alexander County operates a compact educational network of 7 schools across two districts. This small system serves 679 total students with a focus on high school accessibility through four distinct secondary campuses.

Beating State Graduation Benchmarks

The county reports a 90.0% graduation rate, outpacing the Illinois average of 88.8%. While per-pupil spending of $10,392 is higher than the state average, it remains below the national investment level of $13,000.

A Tale of Two Districts

Egyptian CUSD 5 is the larger of the two districts, enrolling 377 students across 3 schools. Cairo USD 1 follows closely, managing two schools and 302 students with no charter schools present in the county.

Intimate Rural Classrooms

Schools here are primarily rural and very small, with an average of just 136 students per building. Egyptian Elementary is the largest school at 190 students, while Egyptian Jr High offers a highly personalized environment with only 67 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

7

in Alexander County

Reported Enrollment

679

7 schools reporting

School Districts

2

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary2
Middle1
High4
Other0

2 School Districts in Alexander County

Egyptian CUSD 5

3 schools
377 students

Cairo USD 1

2 schools
302 students

7 Public Schools in Alexander County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 7 of 7 matching schools

Egyptian Elem School

Egyptian CUSD 5

Tamms, 62988 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary190 students

Cairo Elementary School

Cairo USD 1

Cairo, 62914 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary182 students

Cairo Jr/Sr High School

Cairo USD 1

Cairo, 62914 / Town: Distant

Record7–12High120 students

Egyptian Sr High School

Egyptian CUSD 5

Tamms, 62988 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High120 students

Egyptian Jr High School

Egyptian CUSD 5

Tamms, 62988 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle67 students

Five County Reg Voc Center

Alxndr/Jcksn/Pulsk/Prry/Union ROE

Tamms, 62988 / Rural: Distant

Record11–12Vocational0 students

Five County Reg Voc System

Alxndr/Jcksn/Pulsk/Prry/Union ROE

Tamms, 62988 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$10,392

State avg $9,250

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Alexander County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Illinois counties have the highest graduation rates?
Edwards County (97.0%), Hamilton County (97.0%), and Johnson County (96.3%) currently lead Illinois among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Illinois?
Across Illinois counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $9,250. The highest current county values are Lake County ($12,962), DuPage County ($12,349), and Jo Daviess County ($12,337). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Alexander County?
Alexander County has a school score of 70/100, which is a higher measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Alexander County?
The high school graduation rate in Alexander County is 90.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Alexander County spend per student?
Alexander County spends $10,392 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Alexander County, Illinois — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Alexander County, Illinois?

Alexander County operates a compact educational network of 7 schools across two districts. This small system serves 679 total students with a focus on high school accessibility through four distinct secondary campuses.

How do schools in Alexander County perform academically?

The county reports a 90.0% graduation rate, outpacing the Illinois average of 88.8%. While per-pupil spending of $10,392 is higher than the state average, it remains below the national investment level of $13,000.

What are the major school districts in Alexander County, Illinois?

Egyptian CUSD 5 is the larger of the two districts, enrolling 377 students across 3 schools. Cairo USD 1 follows closely, managing two schools and 302 students with no charter schools present in the county.

What is the school experience like in Alexander County?

Schools here are primarily rural and very small, with an average of just 136 students per building. Egyptian Elementary is the largest school at 190 students, while Egyptian Jr High offers a highly personalized environment with only 67 students.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.