Public schools in Decatur, IL
22 open public schools with an address in Decatur, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
22
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
7,840
22 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
16.2:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
1
3 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Decatur public schools
The federal directory lists 22 public schools in Decatur, IL: 11 elementary, 1 middle, 5 high, 5 combined or other. The 22 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 7,840 students, an average of 356 per school. The largest campus is MacArthur High School (1,059 students), and the largest elementary school is Johns Hill Magnet School (627).
Decatur SD 61 operates the most schools here (16), plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 16.2:1, higher than the statewide school median of 13:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school, 3 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 5 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 5 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 80% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Decatur
Elementary schools in Decatur
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis Lab School Decatur SD 61 | KG–08 | 579 | 16.5:1 | |
| Ellsworth Dansby Jr. Magnet School Decatur SD 61 · Magnet | KG–08 | 423 | 15.1:1 | |
| Franklin Grove Elem School Decatur SD 61 | KG–06 | 461 | 18.5:1 | |
| Hope Academy Decatur SD 61 | KG–08 | 501 | 13.9:1 | |
| Johns Hill Magnet School Decatur SD 61 · Magnet | KG–08 | 627 | 15.3:1 | |
| Michael E Baum Elem School Decatur SD 61 | KG–06 | 313 | 18.4:1 | |
| Montessori Academy for Peace Decatur SD 61 · Magnet | PK–08 | 586 | 14.7:1 | |
| Muffley Elem School Decatur SD 61 | KG–06 | 386 | 17.5:1 | |
| Parsons Elementary School Decatur SD 61 | KG–06 | 505 | 15.8:1 | |
| Robertson Charter School Decatur SD 61 · Charter | PK–08 | 327 | 29.7:1 | |
| South Shores Elem School Decatur SD 61 | KG–06 | 335 | 18.5:1 |
Middle schools in Decatur
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Decatur Middle School Decatur SD 61 | 07–08 | 413 | 18:1 |
High schools in Decatur
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower High School Decatur SD 61 | 09–12 | 909 | 17.2:1 | |
| Futures Unlimited Macon/Piatt ROE · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Heartland Technical Academy Macon/Piatt ROE · Career and Technical School | 11–12 | 0 | — | |
| MacArthur High School Decatur SD 61 | 09–12 | 1,059 | 20:1 | |
| Option Three Macon/Piatt ROE · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | 0:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Decatur
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur Public Schools Alternative Education Decatur SD 61 · Alternative School | KG–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Macon/Piatt ROE 39 ALOP Macon/Piatt ROE · Alternative School | 04–12 | 0 | — | |
| Milligan Academy Rssp Macon/Piatt ROE · Alternative School | 06–11 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Pershing Early Learning Center Decatur SD 61 | PK–PK | 416 | 26:1 | |
| Social-Emotional Learning Academy Macon-Piatt Spec Educ Jnt Agr · Special Education School | KG–12 | 0 | 0:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White26.3%
- Hispanic7%
- Black50.8%
- Asian0.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial15%
Enrollment-weighted across 15 Decatur schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (7,840 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Decatur
How many public schools are in Decatur, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 22 open public schools with a location address in Decatur: 11 elementary, 1 middle, 5 high, 5 combined or other. Together they reported 7,840 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Decatur?
Schools with an address in Decatur belong to 3 education agencies, led by Decatur SD 61 (16 schools), Macon/Piatt ROE (5 schools), Macon-Piatt Spec Educ Jnt Agr (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Decatur?
MacArthur High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Decatur, with 1,059 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Decatur?
Yes. 1 of the 22 public schools in Decatur are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Robertson Charter School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Decatur schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Decatur public schools is 16.2:1, higher than the Illinois school median of 13:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Decatur guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Illinois cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Illinois cities