Macon County Schools & Education
Macon County, Illinois
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
36/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
85.2%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
85.2%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 88.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,275
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,250
School Score
36/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 63/100
State Score Position
#100
of 102 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Macon County
Measured School Summary
Macon County faces educational challenges with a school score of 36/100 and a graduation rate of 85.2%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $7,275 per pupil, Macon County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 43% below the Illinois average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 3.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 21% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Macon 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
41 public schools and 9 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
36/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #100 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.
Completion
85.2%
3.6 pts below the state average
Funding context
$7,275
$1,975 below the state average
School coverage
41
9 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Macon County has 41 public schools across 9 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.
What Macon 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.
Review-carefully county
Macon County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.
State position
#100
of 102 Illinois counties with school score data. The county score is 27 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.
Decatur SD 61
Elementary to high school visible
7,974 students
17 listed schools in this county slice.
Mt Zion CUSD 3
Elementary to high school visible
2,411 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
Maroa Forsyth CUSD 2
Elementary to high school visible
1,194 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Warrensburg-Latham CUSD 11
Elementary to high school visible
992 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Decatur SD 61 is the largest listed district slice, with 17 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 Macon County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Macon County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Macon 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.
Diverse Urban and Rural School Options
Macon County hosts a large student body of 14,825 across 41 public schools, including 19 elementary and 10 high schools. Nine districts manage this varied landscape, which serves both city centers and outlying rural areas.
Decatur SD 61 Drives County Education
Decatur SD 61 is the largest district by far, educating 7,974 students across 17 schools. The county also features one charter school, offering a small but distinct alternative for 2.4% of the local school landscape.
A Blend of City Spirit and Rural Quiet
Over half of the schools are located in city settings, but 13 rural and 6 suburban schools provide plenty of variety. MacArthur High School is the largest campus with 1,105 students, while the average school size across the county is 436.
School Overview
Total Schools
41
in Macon County
Reported Enrollment
14,825
41 schools reporting
School Districts
9
districts
Charter Schools
1
2% of total
School Level Breakdown
9 School Districts in Macon County
Decatur SD 61
GuideMt Zion CUSD 3
Maroa Forsyth CUSD 2
Warrensburg-Latham CUSD 11
Meridian CUSD 15
Argenta-Oreana CUSD 1
Sangamon Valley CUSD 9
Macon-Piatt Spec Educ Jnt Agr
Macon/Piatt ROE
41 Public Schools in Macon County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 2 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 41 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacArthur High School | Profile | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62522City: Small | 9–12 | High | 1,105 |
| Eisenhower High School | Profile | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62521City: Small | 9–12 | High | 934 |
| Mt Zion High School | Record | Mt Zion CUSD 3 | Mount Zion, 62549Suburb: Small | 9–12 | High | 763 |
| Montessori Academy for Peace | Record | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62521City: Small | PK–8 | Primary | 697 |
| Johns Hill Magnet School | Record | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62521City: Small | KG–8 | Primary | 643 |
| Maroa-Forsyth Grade School | Record | Maroa Forsyth CUSD 2 | Forsyth, 62535Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 596 |
| Hope Academy | Record | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62521City: Small | KG–8 | Primary | 563 |
| Dennis Lab School | Record | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62522City: Small | PK–8 | Primary | 551 |
| Mt Zion Intermediate School | Record | Mt Zion CUSD 3 | Mount Zion, 62549Rural: Fringe | 3–6 | Primary | 534 |
| Parsons Elementary School | Record | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62526City: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 462 |
| Stephen Decatur Middle School | Record | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62526City: Small | 7–8 | Middle | 459 |
| Franklin Grove Elem School | Record | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62526City: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 458 |
| Meridian Elem School | Record | Meridian CUSD 15 | Blue Mound, 62513Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 456 |
| Argenta-Oreana Elementary School | Record | Argenta-Oreana CUSD 1 | Oreana, 62554Suburb: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 446 |
| Warrensburg-Latham Elem Sch | Record | Warrensburg-Latham CUSD 11 | Warrensburg, 62573Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 437 |
| Mt Zion Jr High School | Record | Mt Zion CUSD 3 | Mount Zion, 62549Suburb: Small | 7–8 | Middle | 403 |
| American Dreamer STEM Academy | Record | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62521City: Small | KG–8 | Primary | 391 |
| Pershing Early Learning Center | Record | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62526City: Small | PK | Other | 389 |
| McGaughey Elem School | Record | Mt Zion CUSD 3 | Mount Zion, 62549Suburb: Small | PK–2 | Primary | 382 |
| Muffley Elem School | Record | Decatur SD 61 | Decatur, 62521City: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 368 |
MacArthur High School
Decatur SD 61
Decatur, 62522 / City: Small
Eisenhower High School
Decatur SD 61
Decatur, 62521 / City: Small
Maroa-Forsyth Grade School
Maroa Forsyth CUSD 2
Forsyth, 62535 / Rural: Fringe
Mt Zion Intermediate School
Mt Zion CUSD 3
Mount Zion, 62549 / Rural: Fringe
Argenta-Oreana Elementary School
Argenta-Oreana CUSD 1
Oreana, 62554 / Suburb: Small
Warrensburg-Latham Elem Sch
Warrensburg-Latham CUSD 11
Warrensburg, 62573 / Rural: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,275
State avg $9,250
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Macon County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Illinois counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Illinois?
How should I read the school score in Macon County?
What is the graduation rate in Macon County?
How much does Macon County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Macon County, Illinois — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Macon County, Illinois?
Macon County hosts a large student body of 14,825 across 41 public schools, including 19 elementary and 10 high schools. Nine districts manage this varied landscape, which serves both city centers and outlying rural areas.
What are the major school districts in Macon County, Illinois?
Decatur SD 61 is the largest district by far, educating 7,974 students across 17 schools. The county also features one charter school, offering a small but distinct alternative for 2.4% of the local school landscape.
What is the school experience like in Macon County?
Over half of the schools are located in city settings, but 13 rural and 6 suburban schools provide plenty of variety. MacArthur High School is the largest campus with 1,105 students, while the average school size across the county is 436.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.