schoolsbycounty

Richland County Schools & Education

School Score

59/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

92.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

92.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,431

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,250

School Score

59/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 63/100

State Score Position

#62

of 102 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Richland County

Measured School Summary

Richland County performs at an average level with a school score of 59/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.0%.

Funding Context

At $7,431 per pupil, Richland County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 7% below the Illinois average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 3.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 20% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Richland 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

3 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

59/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #62 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.

Completion

92.0%

3.2 pts above the state average

Funding context

$7,431

$1,819 below the state average

School coverage

3

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

Richland County has 3 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 Richland 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

Richland 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

#62

of 102 Illinois counties with school score data. The county score is 4 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.

Richland County CUSD 1

Elementary to high school visible

2,280 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Richland County CUSD 1 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 Richland 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

Richland County Operates with Significantly Lower Per-Pupil Expenditures

Education data brief for Richland County, Illinois.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor
Lead metric:Per-pupil spending

Richland County reports a per-pupil expenditure of $7,431, which is notably lower than the Illinois state average of $9,250 and the national average of $13,000. Despite this lower spending level, the county’s graduation rate is 92.0%, exceeding both the state average of 88.8% and the national average of 87%. The composite school score of 58.6 is below the state average of 63.0 but above the national median of 50.0. The county features a consolidated district structure, with Richland County CUSD 1 serving as the sole provider for 2,280 students across three campuses. This results in an average school size of 760 students—significantly larger than many neighboring counties. Richland County Elementary School is the largest campus, enrolling 1,101 students. All schools are located in town settings. Compare district boundaries before drawing conclusions.

Sources

School Overview

Total Schools

3

in Richland County

Reported Enrollment

2,280

3 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary1
Middle1
High1
Other0

1 School District in Richland County

Richland County CUSD 1

3 schools
2,280 students enrolled

3 Public Schools in Richland County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Level

Showing 3 of 3 matching schools

Richland County Elementary School

Richland County CUSD 1

Olney, 62450 / Town: Remote

ProfilePK–5Primary1,101 students

Richland County High School

Richland County CUSD 1

Olney, 62450 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High707 students

Richland County Middle School

Richland County CUSD 1

Olney, 62450 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle472 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,431

State avg $9,250

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Richland 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 Richland County?
Richland County has a school score of 59/100, 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 Richland County?
The high school graduation rate in Richland County is 92.0%, 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 Richland County spend per student?
Richland County spends $7,431 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.

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.