Cairo Usd 1

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Cairo, Illinois - 2 schools

An equity score of 67/100 ranks Cairo Usd 1 #3 of 759 districts in Illinois (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $28,162 per pupil, Cairo Usd 1 ranks #41 of 845 Illinois districts by per-pupil spending (Illinois districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

302
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$28,162
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Cairo Usd 1 operates 2 public schools serving 302 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Illinois. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Alexander County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $28,162 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 85 of 845 Illinois districts by per-pupil spending. See how Illinois compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 17.9% local, 49.2% state, and 32.9% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 67/100, ranked #3 of 759 in Illinois against a state average of 38, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 139:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 41.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 76.0% African American, 12.2% White, 1.8% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Cairo Elementary School, enrolling 148 students (53% of the district's total enrollment).

Cairo Elementary School accounts for 49.0% of all Cairo Usd 1 student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Cairo Usd 1 a distant remainder — means Cairo Usd 1-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Cairo Usd 1 student-counselor ratio is 139:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Cairo Usd 1 chronic absenteeism rate is 41.9% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

32.9%
Federal
49.2%
State
17.9%
Local

Funding Equity

67
Equity Score
3 / 759
State Rank
38
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Cairo Usd 1.

White 12.2%
Hispanic or Latino 1.8%
African American 76.0%
Multiracial 10.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

139:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
41.9%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Cairo Usd 1

School Enrollment
Cairo Elementary School
148
Cairo Jr/Sr High School
130

How Cairo Usd 1 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Illinois districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
South Fork Sd 14 Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Waltonville Cusd 1 Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
University of Ill Lab School Similar size No spending data No revenue-mix data
Hutsonville Cusd 1 Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Winfield Sd 34 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Cairo Usd 1's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Illinois

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

City of Chicago Sd 299
321,666 students · 644 schools · $22,699/pupil
Compare vs Cairo Usd 1 →
Sd U-46
35,082 students · 58 schools · $19,216/pupil
Compare vs Cairo Usd 1 →
Rockford Sd 205
27,442 students · 45 schools · $19,016/pupil
Compare vs Cairo Usd 1 →
Indian Prairie Cusd 204
25,687 students · 33 schools · $18,127/pupil
Compare vs Cairo Usd 1 →
Plainfield Sd 202
24,856 students · 31 schools · $15,896/pupil
Compare vs Cairo Usd 1 →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Cairo Usd 1

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs City of Chicago Sd 299 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Cairo Usd 1?

Cairo Usd 1 has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 302 students.

How much does Cairo Usd 1 spend per student?

Cairo Usd 1 spends $28,162 per student. The district has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #3 in Illinois.

What is the demographic composition of Cairo Usd 1?

Cairo Usd 1 students are 76.0% African American, 12.2% White, 1.8% Hispanic or Latino, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Cairo Usd 1?

Cairo Usd 1 has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #3 out of 759 districts in Illinois.