schoolsbycounty

Calhoun County Schools & Education

School Score

49/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

85.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

85.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,471

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,250

School Score

49/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 63/100

State Score Position

#84

of 102 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Calhoun County

Measured School Summary

Calhoun County performs at an average level with a school score of 49/100 and a solid graduation rate of 85.6%.

Funding Context

Calhoun County spends $8,471 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 23% below the Illinois average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 3.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 8% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Calhoun 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

4 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

49/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #84 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.

Completion

85.6%

3.2 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,471

$779 below the state average

School coverage

4

2 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Calhoun County has 4 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 Calhoun 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

Calhoun 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

#84

of 102 Illinois counties with school score data. The county score is 14 points below 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.

Calhoun CUSD 40

Elementary and high visible

522 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Brussels CUSD 42

Elementary and high visible

97 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Brussels CUSD 42 is the largest listed district slice, with 2 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 Calhoun County?

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

Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?

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 Calhoun 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.

Essential Education in a Rural Pocket

Calhoun County maintains 4 public schools across two districts, serving a total of 619 students. The infrastructure is streamlined into two elementary and two high school buildings.

Calhoun CUSD 40 Presence

Calhoun CUSD 40 is the primary provider, enrolling 522 students, or 84% of the county's total student population. Brussels CUSD 42 serves the remaining 97 students across two very small campuses.

Purely Rural Schooling

Every school in Calhoun County is classified as rural, with an average enrollment of only 155 students. Brussels Grade School is notably intimate with just 40 students, while Calhoun Elementary is the largest with 362.

School Overview

Total Schools

4

in Calhoun County

Reported Enrollment

619

4 schools reporting

School Districts

2

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary2
Middle0
High2
Other0

2 School Districts in Calhoun County

Calhoun CUSD 40

2 schools
522 students

Brussels CUSD 42

2 schools
97 students

4 Public Schools in Calhoun 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 4 of 4 matching schools

Calhoun Elementary/ Jr High Sch

Calhoun CUSD 40

Hardin, 62047 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–8Primary362 students

Calhoun High School

Calhoun CUSD 40

Hardin, 62047 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High160 students

Brussels High School

Brussels CUSD 42

Brussels, 62013 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High57 students

Brussels Grade School

Brussels CUSD 42

Brussels, 62013 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary40 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,471

State avg $9,250

Compare Nearby Counties

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

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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 Calhoun County?
Calhoun County has a school score of 49/100, which is a midrange 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 Calhoun County?
The high school graduation rate in Calhoun County is 85.6%, which is below 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 Calhoun County spend per student?
Calhoun County spends $8,471 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 Calhoun County, Illinois — FAQ

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

Calhoun County maintains 4 public schools across two districts, serving a total of 619 students. The infrastructure is streamlined into two elementary and two high school buildings.

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

Calhoun CUSD 40 is the primary provider, enrolling 522 students, or 84% of the county's total student population. Brussels CUSD 42 serves the remaining 97 students across two very small campuses.

What is the school experience like in Calhoun County?

Every school in Calhoun County is classified as rural, with an average enrollment of only 155 students. Brussels Grade School is notably intimate with just 40 students, while Calhoun Elementary is the largest with 362.

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.