West Central Reporter

White students were the largest ethnic group in McDonough County in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Of the 2,970 students attending McDonough County schools, 79.2% were white. African American students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 8.6% of McDonough County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in McDonough County, representing 79.4% of the student body.

Macomb Junior High School and Macomb Senior High School had the most diverse student body in McDonough County, including Asian, African American, Hispanic, multiracial, and white.

The Illinois State Board of Education’s budget for fiscal year 2026 will increase from nearly $10.8 billion to about $11.2 billion. This includes a $307 million boost for K–12 schools, marking the smallest annual increase since 2020.

The agency has paused about $50 million in funding previously allocated through the Evidence-Based Funding formula for the Property Tax Relief Grant while reviewing its impact on local tax relief. Officials say the pause could affect the timing and amount of property tax relief available to taxpayers.

School name	Most prevalent ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Bushnell-Prairie City Elementary School	White	86.2%	304
Bushnell-Prairie City High School	White	88%	166
Bushnell-Prairie City Junior High School	White	86.3%	117
Edison Elementary School	White	72.3%	372
Lincoln Elementary School	White	66.3%	406
Macomb Junior High School	White	73.1%	453
Macomb Senior High School	White	74.6%	578
West Prairie High School	White	94.8%	155
West Prairie Junior High School	White	94.5%	91
West Prairie North Elementary School	White	92.8%	152
West Prairie South Elementary School	White	96.6%	176

Information in this story was obtained from the Illinois State Board of Education. The source data can be found here.