Putnam County Schools & Education
Putnam County, Illinois
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
63/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
87.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
87.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 88.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$11,001
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,250
School Score
63/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 63/100
State Score Position
#50
of 102 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Putnam County
Measured School Summary
Putnam County performs at an average level with a school score of 63/100 and a solid graduation rate of 87.0%.
Funding Context
Putnam County spends $11,001 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 0% below the Illinois average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 19% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Putnam 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
63/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #50 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.
Completion
87.0%
1.8 pts below the state average
Funding context
$11,001
$1,751 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
Putnam 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.
What Putnam 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
Putnam 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
#50
of 102 Illinois counties with school score data. The county score is roughly in line with 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.
Putnam County CUSD 535
Elementary to high school visible
807 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Putnam County CUSD 535 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 Putnam 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?
Data Story
Putnam County Per-Pupil Spending Exceeds Illinois State Average
Education data brief for Putnam County, Illinois.
Per-pupil expenditure in Putnam County is $11,001, which is higher than the Illinois state average of $9,250, though still below the national average of $13,000. The county’s graduation rate of 87.0% matches the national average but is slightly lower than the state average of 88.8%. The composite school score is 62.7, nearly aligning with the state average of 63.0 and exceeding the national median of 50.0. According to NCES data, the county operates a single school district, Putnam County CUSD 535, which manages four schools. Total enrollment is 807 students, all in rural settings, with Putnam County High School being the largest facility at 254 students. Average school size is 202 students. There are no charter schools present in the county's single district. Compare district boundaries before drawing conclusions.
Sources
- NCES Common Core of Data
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS
School Overview
Total Schools
4
in Putnam County
Reported Enrollment
807
4 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Putnam County
Putnam County CUSD 535
4 Public Schools in Putnam 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 dataLevel
Showing 4 of 4 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County High School | Record | Putnam County CUSD 535 | Granville, 61326Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 254 |
| Putnam Co Primary Sch | Record | Putnam County CUSD 535 | Granville, 61326Rural: Distant | PK–2 | Primary | 227 |
| Putnam County Elem School | Record | Putnam County CUSD 535 | Hennepin, 61327Rural: Distant | 3–5 | Primary | 164 |
| Putnam County Jr High School | Record | Putnam County CUSD 535 | Mc Nabb, 61335Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 162 |
Putnam County High School
Putnam County CUSD 535
Granville, 61326 / Rural: Distant
Putnam Co Primary Sch
Putnam County CUSD 535
Granville, 61326 / Rural: Distant
Putnam County Elem School
Putnam County CUSD 535
Hennepin, 61327 / Rural: Distant
Putnam County Jr High School
Putnam County CUSD 535
Mc Nabb, 61335 / Rural: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$11,001
State avg $9,250
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Putnam 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?
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What is the graduation rate in Putnam County?
How much does Putnam County spend per student?
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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.