Northwestern Cusd 2

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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Palmyra, Illinois - 3 schools

An equity score of 61/100 ranks Northwestern Cusd 2 #15 of 763 districts in Illinois (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,840 per pupil, Northwestern Cusd 2 ranks #289 of 848 Illinois districts by per-pupil spending (Illinois districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

319
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$17,840
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Northwestern Cusd 2 operates 3 public schools serving 319 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Illinois. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 middle 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 Macoupin County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,840 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 848 Illinois districts by per-pupil spending. See how Illinois compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 37.3% local, 49.6% state, and 13.1% 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 61/100, ranked #15 of 763 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 107.7:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 22.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 95.4% White, 1.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Northwestern Jr High School, with a diversity index of 14.2/100.

Its largest campus is Northwestern Elem School, enrolling 189 students (59% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Northwestern Jr High School, at 40 students, a 5x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Northwestern Elem School accounts for 58.5% of all Northwestern Cusd 2 student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Northwestern Cusd 2 a distant remainder — means Northwestern Cusd 2-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Northwestern Cusd 2 school enrollment varies 4.7× across entities

Northwestern Cusd 2 school enrollment ranges from 40 students (lowest) to 189 students (highest), a spread of 149 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

Northwestern Cusd 2 student-counselor ratio is 108:1 — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Northwestern Cusd 2 chronic absenteeism rate is 22.1% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Northwestern Cusd 2 is typically wider than the Northwestern Cusd 2-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

13.1%
Federal
49.6%
State
37.3%
Local

Funding Equity

61
Equity Score
15 / 763
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 3 schools in Northwestern Cusd 2.

White 95.4%
Hispanic or Latino 1.5%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 2.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 8.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Northwestern Cusd 2's schools, below the Illinois average of 38.9.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Northwestern Jr High School 14.2
  2. 2 Northwestern Elem School 8.1
  3. 3 Northwestern High School 4.3

Programs & Resources

107.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Northwestern Cusd 2

School Enrollment
Northwestern Elem School
189
Northwestern High School
94
Northwestern Jr High School
40

How Northwestern Cusd 2 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Illinois districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Thompsonville Cusd 174 Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Orangeville Cusd 203 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Virginia Cusd 64 Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Lowpoint-Washburn Cusd 21 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Cowden-Herrick Cusd 3a Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Northwestern Cusd 2'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 · $21,050/pupil
Compare vs Northwestern Cusd 2 →
Sd U-46
35,082 students · 58 schools · $17,947/pupil
Compare vs Northwestern Cusd 2 →
Rockford Sd 205
27,442 students · 45 schools · $17,721/pupil
Compare vs Northwestern Cusd 2 →
Indian Prairie Cusd 204
25,687 students · 33 schools · $17,239/pupil
Compare vs Northwestern Cusd 2 →
Plainfield Sd 202
24,856 students · 31 schools · $15,235/pupil
Compare vs Northwestern Cusd 2 →

Compare Northwestern Cusd 2

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 Northwestern Cusd 2?

Northwestern Cusd 2 has 3 schools, including 2 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 319 students.

How much does Northwestern Cusd 2 spend per student?

Northwestern Cusd 2 spends $17,840 per student. The district has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #15 in Illinois.

What is the demographic composition of Northwestern Cusd 2?

Northwestern Cusd 2 students are 95.4% White, 1.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Northwestern Cusd 2?

Northwestern Cusd 2 has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #15 out of 763 districts in Illinois.