- Enrollment
- 909
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Decatur, IL
Macarthur High School
Federal NCES profile for Macarthur High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 171185001411
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Macarthur High School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #4 of 15
- public schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.9:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 1,059
- students enrolled
Macarthur High School has class sizes larger than 94% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Macarthur High School ranks #4 of 15 public schools in Decatur, IL.
School address
District: Decatur Sd 61 · Illinois
NCES ID 171185001411 Verify on NCES CCD record →
NCES CCD universe card
School universe 171185001411 · Decatur, IL High · MID · TRAD
1,059 enr · 18.9:1 · RII 25
Nearest enrollment peer: Eisenhower High School (909 students)
Resource Investment Index #4 of 15 public schools in Decatur. NCES Common Core of Data stamps for this campus. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Macarthur High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Macarthur High School
1,059 students
- Eisenhower Hig
Eisenhower High School
909 students
- Johns Hill Mag
Johns Hill Magnet School
627 students
- Montessori Aca
Montessori Academy for Peace
586 students
- Dennis Lab Sch
Dennis Lab School
579 students
- Parsons Elemen
Parsons Elementary School
505 students
What this shows Macarthur High School reports 1,059 students on the CCD universe file.
How Macarthur High School compares
Macarthur High School on the metrics families compare, against Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.9:1 | ▲ 35% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 1,059 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,059
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 94% in Illinois - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
81.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,611
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $18,196
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 265 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 161 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 50.6%
White 27.5%
Two or More 13.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.6%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 50.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.4, Macarthur High School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Decatur Sd 61, which includes Macarthur High School.
$15,611
Per student
-14%
vs Illinois
Avg $18,196
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $17,658
Revenue mix
Local 35.3%
State 43.3%
Federal 21.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2022-23 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Macarthur High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Johns Hill Magnet School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montessori Academy for Peace | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dennis Lab School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Parsons Elementary School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Macarthur High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 586
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 505
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Similar high schools in Decatur
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,059 students)
Frequently asked questions about Macarthur High School
How many students attend Macarthur High School?
Macarthur High School has 1,059 students enrolled. It is a high school in Decatur, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Macarthur High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Macarthur High School is 18.9:1, which is 35% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Macarthur High School?
The largest demographic group at Macarthur High School is African American at 50.6% of enrollment, in Decatur, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Macarthur High School?
Macarthur High School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Macarthur High School rank among public schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Macarthur High School ranks #4 of 15 public schools in Decatur, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Decatur on the city page.
What other schools are in Decatur Sd 61?
Besides Macarthur High School, Decatur Sd 61 also operates Eisenhower High School (909 students), Johns Hill Magnet School (627 students), and Montessori Academy for Peace (586 students). See the Decatur Sd 61 district page for the complete list.
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. 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.