Enrollment
1,059
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
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 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 171185001411
👥 S:T ratio 21
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 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 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #4 of 15
- public schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.7:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 1,059
- students enrolled
Macarthur High School has class sizes larger than 96% 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 →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.7:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Macarthur High School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Macarthur High School
Macarthur High School is a large high school in Decatur, Illinois, enrolling 1,059 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.7:1 is larger than about 96% of Illinois schools and 41% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Illinois, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,059 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by African American (51%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 265 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 81.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Decatur's high schools, it stands alongside Eisenhower High School (909 students): Macarthur High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.7:1 vs 17:1).
Decatur Sd 61 also operates Eisenhower High School (909 students) and Johns Hill Magnet School (627 students) alongside Macarthur High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
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 | 19.7:1 | ▲ 41% | 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
19.7:1
Leaner classes than 17% 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
19.7:1
students per teacher
- 41% above state mean
Top 96% in Illinois - lower ratio than 4% 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
$16,005
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
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.
Overview
Enrollment 1,059 Top 7% in Illinois - larger than 93% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 56.0
Students per teacher 19.7:1 +41% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 171185001411
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 & staff
AP courses offered 11
Counselors (FTE) 4.0
Students per counselor 265:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 81.4%
In-school suspensions 0
Out-of-school suspensions 161
Expulsions 2
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Decatur Sd 61, which includes Macarthur High School.
$16,005
Per student
-6%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.3%
State 43.3%
Federal 21.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 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
- 909
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 586
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 505
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar high schools in Decatur
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Macarthur High School's federal record.
- Compare Macarthur High School against another school. Compare schools
- Decatur Sd 61's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
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 19.7:1, which is 41% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 25% 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 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Macarthur High School a good school?
Macarthur High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
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.