top of page

The State of Rural Education in Illinois

 

The following statistics and findings on the state of rural education in Illinois were published in the2013-14 Why Rural Matters – The Condition of Rural Education in the 50 States. This report, the seventh in a series dating back  to 2007-08, is authored by Jerry Johnson, Ed.D., Daniel Showalter Ph.D., Robert Klein, Ph.D., and Christine Lester  and published by the Rural Schools and Community Trust. Please read the document in its entirety at the following link.

 

http://www.ruraledu.org/user_uploads/file/2013-14-Why-Rural-Matters.pdf

 

Why Rural Matters 2013-2014:  The Condition of Rural Education in the 50 States

 State: Illinois
Priority Rank: 27

Illinois has one of the largest absolute rural student enrollments, but rural students make up only one in seven public school students in the state. Rural students in Illinois have one of the nation’s highest rates of rural students qualifying for special education services, and higher than average NAEP performance at Grade 8. Only West Virginia spends fewer dollars on instruction per dollar spent on transportation. Teacher salaries are below average and rural schools in Illinois rank near the bottom on state revenue per local dollar. More than one in four rural students in Illinois qualifies for free or reduced priced lunches.

 

Gauge 1: Importance
Gauge rank: 35 Notable / Important / Very Important / Crucial

 

  1. Percent rural schools: 23.8% rank 40

  2. Percent small rural districts: 57.9% rank 19

  3. Percent rural students: 13.4% rank 37

  4. Number of rural students: 279,403 rank 13

  5. Percentage of state education funds to rural districts: 17.0% rank 3

 

Graph: Number of rural students: 279,403 v. US median 141,632

 

 

Gauge 2: Student and Family Diversity
Gauge Rank: 21 Fair/ Serious / Critical / Urgent

 

  1. Percentage of rural minority students: 16.5% rank 27

  2. Percentage of rural ELL students: 2.2% rank 22

  3. Percentage of rural IEP students: 15.4% rank 12

  4. Number of rural minority students: 46,021 rank 15

  5. Percentage of rural mobility: 9.1% rank 37

 

Graph: Percentage of rural IEP students: 15.4% v. US 12.8%

 

 

Gauge 3: Socioeconomic Challenges Gauge
Gauge Rank: 39 Notable / Important / Very Important / Crucial

 

  1. Percentage of rural adults with high school diploma: 89.6% rank 32

  2. Rural adult unemployment rate: 6.4% rank 27

  3. Rural median household income: $60,922 rank 36

  4. Percentage of rural students who are Title I eligible: 11.5% rank 44

  5. Percentage of rural students eligible for free or reduced lunches: 27.2% rank 44

 

Graph: Percentage of rural students who are Title I eligible: 11.5% v. US 19.3%

 

 

Gauge 4: Educational Policy Context
Gauge Rank: 5 Notable / Important / Very Important / Crucial

 

  1. Rural instructional expenditures per pupil: $5,645 rank 21

  2. Ratio of instructional to transportation expenditures: $8.47 rank 2

  3. Median organizational scale (x 100):1,383 rank 39

  4. State revenue to schools per local dollar:$0.66 rank                                                                                                

  5. Rural salary expenditures per instructional FTE: $55,890 rank 21

 

Graph: Ratio of instructional to transportation expenditures: $8.47 v. US $11.71

 

 

Gauge 5: Educational Outcomes
Gauge Rank: 29 Fair / Serious / Critical / Urgent

 

  • 1.Rural Grade 4 NAEP performance (math):241.25 rank 18

  • 2.Rural Grade 4 NAEP performance (reading): 224.37 rank 28

  • 3.Rural Grade 8 NAEP performance (math): 288.85 rank 32

  • 4.Rural Grade 8 NAEP performance (reading): 270.11 rank 32

 

Graph: Rural Grade 4 NAEP performance (math):241.25 v. US 242.87

bottom of page