Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 17 schools in district

MacArthur High School

1499 W Grand Ave, Decatur, IL 62522Decatur SD 61 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,105
Students
Total enrolled
$18,855
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 31% vs nat'l
19.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 28% vs nat'l
43/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 15% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,105 students in grades 09–12 in Decatur, Illinois.
31% above average funding
District spends $18,855 per pupil, 31% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 43th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

MacArthur High School is a very large high in Decatur, Illinois, serving grades 09–12 with 1,105 students. The district invests $18,855 per student — 31% above the national average of $14,347, with a 19.7:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 67% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at MacArthur High School

1,105
Total Students
19.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
67%
Free Lunch
56
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution545 male · 560 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility67%
National avg 52% · 740 students
Student Composition
30%
51%
13%
White30%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black51%
Multiracial13%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 171185001411

Academic Outcomes at MacArthur High School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
43
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 43th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 44th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 62522

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,855Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,855
State avg
$20,102
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,296
Student Support$3,582
Administration$2,263
Operations$2,828
Other$1,885
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,855 spent per student, an estimated $8,353 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
43%
35%
State government
43.3%
Local (property tax)
35.3%
Federal programs
21.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $18,855/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Montessori Academy for PeaceJohns Hill Magnet SchoolHope AcademyDennis Lab School
+7 more
↓
Middle
Stephen Decatur Middle School
↓
High School
Eisenhower High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyMacon County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictDecatur SD 61 →
Phone: (217)362-3152
NCES ID: 171185001411
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Decatur seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Decatur SD 61
High
Eisenhower High School
934 students · 09–12
● 50 opp73% FRL
Elem
Montessori Academy for Peace
697 students · PK–08
● 50 opp52% FRL
Elem
Johns Hill Magnet School
643 students · KG–08
● 50 opp72% FRL
Elem
Hope Academy
563 students · KG–08
● 50 opp88% FRL
Elem
Dennis Lab School
551 students · PK–08
● 43 opp79% FRL
Elem
Parsons Elementary School
462 students · KG–06
● 50 opp80% FRL
Mid
Stephen Decatur Middle School
459 students · 07–08
● 50 opp83% FRL
Elem
Franklin Grove Elem School
458 students · KG–06
● 50 opp85% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1499 W Grand Ave, Decatur, IL 62522
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.