Gillespie CUSD 7

Gillespie, Illinois — 3 schools

1,140
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$16,063
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Gillespie CUSD 7 operates 3 public schools serving 1,140 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Illinois. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 other, 1 high, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 1,095 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Macoupin County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,063 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 22.1% local, 62.2% state, and 15.7% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $78,212 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 43/100, ranked #269 of 763 in Illinois against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (2 AP courses district-wide), a 555.7:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 31.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 94.5% White, 1.5% African American, 0.8% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Ben-Gil Elementary School accounts for 47.8% of all Gillespie CUSD 7 student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Gillespie CUSD 7-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Gillespie CUSD 7 school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

Gillespie CUSD 7 school enrollment ranges from 244 students (lowest) to 523 students (highest), a spread of 279 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Gillespie CUSD 7 student-counselor ratio is 556:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Gillespie CUSD 7 chronic absenteeism rate is 31.5% — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

15.7%
Federal
62.2%
State
22.1%
Local

Funding Equity

43
Equity Score
269 / 763
State Rank
38
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Macoupin County county, where this district is located.

$694
Studio/mo
$698
1 BR/mo
$916
2 BR/mo
$1,145
3 BR/mo
$1,423
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$78,212
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Gillespie CUSD 7.

White 94.5%
Hispanic or Latino 0.8%
African American 1.5%
Multiracial 2.2%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
2 AP courses total
555.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
31.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Gillespie CUSD 7

School Enrollment
Ben-Gil Elementary School
523
Gillespie High School
328
Gillespie Middle School
244

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 · $25,599/pupil
Compare vs Gillespie CUSD 7 →
SD U-46
35,082 students · 58 schools · $20,015/pupil
Compare vs Gillespie CUSD 7 →
Rockford SD 205
27,442 students · 45 schools · $19,455/pupil
Compare vs Gillespie CUSD 7 →
Indian Prairie CUSD 204
25,687 students · 33 schools · $18,626/pupil
Compare vs Gillespie CUSD 7 →
Plainfield SD 202
24,856 students · 31 schools · $16,449/pupil
Compare vs Gillespie CUSD 7 →

Compare Gillespie CUSD 7

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 Gillespie CUSD 7?

Gillespie CUSD 7 has 3 schools, including 1 other, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,140 students.

How much does Gillespie CUSD 7 spend per student?

Gillespie CUSD 7 spends $16,063 per student. The district has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #269 in Illinois.

What is the average teacher salary in Gillespie CUSD 7?

The average teacher salary in Gillespie CUSD 7 is $78,212 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Gillespie CUSD 7?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Macoupin County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Gillespie CUSD 7?

Gillespie CUSD 7 students are 94.5% White, 1.5% African American, 0.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Gillespie CUSD 7?

Gillespie CUSD 7 has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #269 out of 763 districts in Illinois. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

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