South Central Reporter

Jason Helfer Chief Education Officer - Instruction | Twitter

By South Central Reporter

Jun 23, 2025

There were 238 Black students enrolled in Marion County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 6.3% more than the previous year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Data showed that Black students made up 4.2% of the 5,688 students during the 2023-24 school year. They were the second least represented ethnicity in the county schools.

Among the 21 schools in Marion County, Centralia Junior High School recorded the highest enrollment of Black students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 100 students.

As of the 2023-24 school year, Illinois public schools enrolled approximately 1.85 million students across nearly 4,000 schools. There was roughly one teacher for every 15 students, slightly better than the national average of 1:16.

K-12 enrollment has been declining in Illinois for many years, reflecting the state's demographic changes. Between the 2019–20 and 2022–23 school years, Illinois public school enrollment declined from approximately 1.98 million to 1.85 million students, a decrease of about 127,000 students or 6.4%. This decline is significantly higher than the typical annual decreases of 0.5% to 1.5% observed in the preceding years, reflecting broader demographic shifts within the state.

Ethnicities in Marion County in 2023-24 School Year

Enrollment Demographics in Marion County County Schools During 2023-24 School Year

School name	% of Black students enrolment	Total enrollment
Centralia Junior High School	17.7%	566
Centralia High School	11.3%	868
Jordan Elementary School	17.7%	226
Central City Elementary School	0%	295
Salem Community High School	0%	695
Sandoval Elementary School	0%	212
Sandoval Junior High School	0%	96
Sandoval Senior High School	0%	114
Selmaville Elementary School	0%	236
South Central Elementary-Kinmundy School	0%	300
South Central Middle School	0%	142
Iuka Community Consolidated School	0%	245
Hawthorn Elementary School	0%	375
Franklin Park Middle School	0%	584
Odin Attendance Center 9-12	0%	70
Odin Attendance Center K-8	0%	162
Kell Grade School	0%	71
Patoka Elementary School	0%	111
Patoka Junior High School	0%	44
Patoka Senior High School	0%	67
Raccoon Consolidated Elementary School	0%	209