schoolsbycounty

Henderson County Schools & Education

School Score

49/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

82.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

82.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$9,577

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,250

School Score

49/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 63/100

State Score Position

#83

of 102 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Henderson County

Measured School Summary

Henderson County has midrange measured school signals (score: 49/100) with a graduation rate of 82.0%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

Henderson County spends $9,577 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 22% below the Illinois average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 6.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 4% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Henderson 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 1 district 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 #83 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.

Completion

82.0%

6.8 pts below the state average

Funding context

$9,577

$327 above the state average

School coverage

4

1 district 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

Henderson County has 4 public schools across 1 district, 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 Henderson 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

Henderson 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

#83

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.

West Central CUSD 235

Elementary to high school visible

744 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 1

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

West Central CUSD 235 is the largest listed district slice, with 4 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 Henderson County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

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 Henderson 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.

Consolidated Rural Learning Centers

Henderson County hosts 744 students within a single school district that manages four distinct campuses. The landscape includes one elementary, one middle, and one high school, along with an early childhood center. This structure provides a centralized educational hub for the entire county's student population.

Unified Education at West Central CUSD 235

West Central CUSD 235 is the primary educational provider, serving the county's total enrollment of 744 students. There are no charter schools in the area, meaning all public education is facilitated through this single, community-focused district. This ensures that students stay with the same peer group from preschool through high school graduation.

An Entirely Rural Education Experience

Schooling in Henderson County is 100% rural, with all four campuses situated in non-urban settings. The average school size is 186 students, emphasizing a quiet and focused learning environment. The largest campus is West Central Elementary with 308 students, while the Early Childhood center serves just 53 preschoolers.

School Overview

Total Schools

4

in Henderson County

Reported Enrollment

744

4 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary1
Middle1
High1
Other1

1 School District in Henderson County

West Central CUSD 235

4 schools
744 students enrolled

4 Public Schools in Henderson 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

West Central Elementary School

West Central CUSD 235

Biggsville, 61418 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary308 students

West Central High School

West Central CUSD 235

Biggsville, 61418 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High199 students

West Central Middle School

West Central CUSD 235

Stronghurst, 61480 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle184 students

West Central Early Childhood

West Central CUSD 235

Biggsville, 61418 / Rural: Distant

RecordPKOther53 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$9,577

State avg $9,250

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Henderson 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 Henderson County?
Henderson 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 Henderson County?
The high school graduation rate in Henderson County is 82.0%, 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 Henderson County spend per student?
Henderson County spends $9,577 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 Henderson County, Illinois — FAQ

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

Henderson County hosts 744 students within a single school district that manages four distinct campuses. The landscape includes one elementary, one middle, and one high school, along with an early childhood center. This structure provides a centralized educational hub for the entire county's student population.

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

West Central CUSD 235 is the primary educational provider, serving the county's total enrollment of 744 students. There are no charter schools in the area, meaning all public education is facilitated through this single, community-focused district. This ensures that students stay with the same peer group from preschool through high school graduation.

What is the school experience like in Henderson County?

Schooling in Henderson County is 100% rural, with all four campuses situated in non-urban settings. The average school size is 186 students, emphasizing a quiet and focused learning environment. The largest campus is West Central Elementary with 308 students, while the Early Childhood center serves just 53 preschoolers.

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.