Public schools in Effingham, IL
10 open public schools with an address in Effingham, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
10
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
2,261
9 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
10.9:1
Illinois median 13:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Effingham public schools
The federal directory lists 10 public schools in Effingham, IL: 3 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high, 3 combined or other. The 9 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 2,261 students, an average of 251 per school. The largest campus is Effingham High School (712 students), and the largest elementary school is Central Grade School (547).
Effingham CUSD 40 operates the most schools here (6), 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 10.9:1, lower 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.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 0 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 43% 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 Effingham
Elementary schools in Effingham
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Grade School Effingham CUSD 40 | 03–05 | 547 | 12.8:1 | |
| Early Learning Center Effingham CUSD 40 | KG–KG | 175 | 10.9:1 | |
| South Side Grade School Effingham CUSD 40 | 01–02 | 248 | 9.9:1 |
Middle schools in Effingham
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effingham Junior High School Effingham CUSD 40 | 06–08 | 458 | 13:1 | |
| Tristar Acad Safe Sch Program Bond/Christian/Effingham/Fayette/Montgomery ROE · Alternative School | 06–09 | 0 | 0:1 |
High schools in Effingham
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspire Alternative High School Bond/Christian/Effingham/Fayette/Montgomery ROE · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Effingham High School Effingham CUSD 40 | 09–12 | 712 | 14.2:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Effingham
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effingham Unit 40 Preschool Effingham CUSD 40 | PK–PK | 121 | 23.9:1 | |
| Fresh Start Treatment & Learning Eastern IL Area of Spec Educ · Special Education School | KG–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Fresh Start Treatment & Learning-INT Eastern IL Area of Spec Educ · Special Education School | KG–12 | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White85.5%
- Hispanic9.4%
- Black2%
- Asian0.9%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial1.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 6 Effingham schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (2,261 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Effingham
How many public schools are in Effingham, IL?
The current NCES directory lists 10 open public schools with a location address in Effingham: 3 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 2,261 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Effingham?
Schools with an address in Effingham belong to 3 education agencies, led by Effingham CUSD 40 (6 schools), Bond/Christian/Effingham/Fayette/Montgomery ROE (2 schools), Eastern IL Area of Spec Educ (2 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Effingham?
Effingham High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Effingham, with 712 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Effingham?
No school with an address in Effingham is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Illinois.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Effingham schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Effingham public schools is 10.9:1, lower 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 Effingham 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