District overview
At a glance
Source years shown below
Reported students
7,840
NCES CCD 2024–25, where reported
Open schools
16
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Student–teacher ratio
17.2:1
Calculated from NCES 2024–25 enrollment and teacher FTE
Spending per pupil
$15,611
Current expenditure · FY 2023 F-33
Instruction per pupil
$7,143
Calculated from FY 2023 F-33
Grades served
PK–12
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
District interpretation
What the numbers say about Decatur SD 61
Decatur SD 61 operates 16 current public-school records serving grades PK–12 in Decatur, Illinois. NCES reports 7,840 students and 457 classroom teacher FTE for 2024–25.
By reported enrollment, the district ranks 28 of 944 Illinois districts with data. That position describes scale only—it does not say whether individual schools are a good fit for a particular student.
FY 2023 finance records show $15,611 in current expenditure per pupil and $7,143 per pupil assigned to instruction. This places reported current spending 546 of 843 districts in Illinois. Local wages, transportation, special education, facilities, and district responsibilities all affect this comparison.
Student context
Needs schools plan for
- English learners
- 2.4%
- Students with disabilities (IDEA)
- 14.7%
- Classroom teachers (FTE)
- 457
- Current expenditure (FY 2023)
- $124,479,000
Context measures describe who a district serves and its resources. They are not negative rating inputs.
Decatur SD 61 location
Decatur, Illinois · 39.8467, -88.9565. This is the NCES EDGE district-office point, not an attendance boundary.
Open exact point in OpenStreetMap →Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White26.3%
- Hispanic7%
- Black50.8%
- Asian0.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial15%
Race/ethnicity: NCES CCD 2024–25 where reported, otherwise CRDC 2021–22. English learner and disability context: CRDC 2021–22. Totals can differ due to rounding or source privacy rules.
Interactive campus directory
Explore schools in Decatur SD 61
16 current directory entries
Filter by school level or name, then sort by enrollment or reported student–teacher ratio.
Showing 16 of 16 schools
| School | Level | Grades | Students | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur Public Schools Alternative Education | Other | KG–12 | 0 | 0:1 |
| Dennis Lab School | Elementary | KG–08 | 579 | 16.5:1 |
| Eisenhower High School | High | 09–12 | 909 | 17.2:1 |
| Ellsworth Dansby Jr. Magnet School | Elementary | KG–08 | 423 | 15.1:1 |
| Franklin Grove Elem School | Elementary | KG–06 | 461 | 18.5:1 |
| Hope Academy | Elementary | KG–08 | 501 | 13.9:1 |
| Johns Hill Magnet School | Elementary | KG–08 | 627 | 15.3:1 |
| MacArthur High School | High | 09–12 | 1,059 | 20:1 |
| Michael E Baum Elem School | Elementary | KG–06 | 313 | 18.4:1 |
| Montessori Academy for Peace | Elementary | PK–08 | 586 | 14.7:1 |
| Muffley Elem School | Elementary | KG–06 | 386 | 17.5:1 |
| Parsons Elementary School | Elementary | KG –06 | 505 | 15.8:1 |
| Pershing Early Learning Center | Other | PK–PK | 416 | 26:1 |
| Robertson Charter School Charter | Elementary | PK–08 | 327 | 29.7:1 |
| South Shores Elem School | Elementary | KG–06 | 335 | 18.5:1 |
| Stephen Decatur Middle School | Middle | 07–08 | 413 | 18:1 |