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MacArthur High School

Q: Is MacArthur High School a good school?

MacArthur High School ranks in the bottom 17.9% of Illinois high schools.

Q: How many students attend MacArthur High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,059 students attended MacArthur High School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of MacArthur High School?

Students at MacArthur High School are 51% African American, 27% White, 14% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic.

Q: What schools feed into MacArthur High School?

MacArthur High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Dennis Lab School Elementary : Franklin Grove Elementary School Elementary : Hope Academy Elementary : Michael E Baum Elementary School Elementary : Muffley Elementary School Elementary : Parsons Elementary School Elementary : South Shores Elementary School Middle : Stephen Decatur Middle School

Public Grades 9-12

573^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 698 Illinois High Schools

Better than 18% of Illinois high schools

Summary

MacArthur High School is a public high school located in Decatur, Illinois, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,042 students. The school is part of the Decatur School District 61, which is ranked 806 out of 811 districts in Illinois and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. MacArthur High School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Illinois high schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade.

MacArthur High School's academic performance is significantly below the state averages across various standardized tests, including ACT, PreACT Secure, and SAT. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 21.6% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in ACT English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 51.7%. Similarly, only 11% were proficient or better in ACT Mathematics, compared to the state average of 39.3%. The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated between 74% and 89% over the past few years, which is lower than the state average, and its dropout rate ranges from 2.4% to 5.9%, which is higher than the state average. Additionally, MacArthur High School has a significantly higher chronic absenteeism rate compared to the state average, with 55.6% in the 2024-2025 school year, compared to the state average of 25.4%.

When comparing MacArthur High School to nearby schools, such as Eisenhower High School (also in the Decatur School District 61), Maroa-Forsyth Senior High School, and Meridian High School, MacArthur consistently underperforms academically. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, Maroa-Forsyth Senior High School had 64.9% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in ACT English Language Arts, compared to only 21.6% at MacArthur. Despite increased per-student spending, from $12,802 in the 2020-2021 school year to $14,990 in the 2023-2024 school year, these investments have not translated into significant improvements in academic performance or other key metrics at MacArthur High School.

1,059

Students ?

19.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,193

Per pupil spending ?

73%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1499 W Grand Ave
Decatur, IL 62522-1410

(217) 362-3152

District: Decatur School District 61

Feeder schools for MacArthur High School:

Elementary:	Dennis Lab School
	Franklin Grove Elementary School
	Hope Academy
	Michael E Baum Elementary School
	More...
	Muffley Elementary School
	Parsons Elementary School
	South Shores Elementary School
Middle:	Stephen Decatur Middle School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

50.6%

White:

27.5%

Two or more races:

13.6%

See top rated Illinois high schools

Compare MacArthur High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 26th percentile in 2022 → 18th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Illinois average (22% vs 48% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (18th percentile)

!Graduation rate below the Illinois average (81% vs 89%)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school22%

District avg22%

Illinois avg48%

573^rd of 698

Illinois public high schools ?

Bottom 18%▲ up 5 pts since 2015

From bottom 13% (2015) to bottom 18% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2High Schools in the Decatur School District 61

806^th of 811Decatur School District 61 among Illinois districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	17.2	573 of 698	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.6	532 of 697	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.5	557 of 699	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.8	517 of 699	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.5	541 of 688	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	23.4	544 of 701	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.5	529 of 647	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	19.2	532 of 642	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	13.9	586 of 643	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	16.8	535 of 614	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	22.4	536 of 670	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	15.5	557 of 670	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	24.8	530 of 665	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	37.5	458 of 655	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2010	47.8	402 of 643	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	39.7	435 of 632	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	26.7	500 of 624	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	36.2	442 of 612	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	24.7	484 of 596	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	33.2	465 of 590	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	38.9	427 of 592	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	42.6	402 of 586	31.4%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	28.5	226 of 323	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	26.7	230 of 299	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	32.1	190 of 301	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.0	191 of 294	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	30.0	194 of 281	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	28.0	213 of 299	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	31.7	167 of 253	34.0%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	26.1	399 of 491	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	44.7	165 of 429	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	31.8	263 of 428	38.6%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	9.4	283 of 284	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	14.4	584 of 685	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.1	499 of 664	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.3	530 of 656	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	34.2	436 of 658	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	20.0	507 of 639	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	23.7	509 of 665	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.4	503 of 620	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	20.8	300 of 366	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.9	239 of 336	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.4	312 of 333	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	68.6	73 of 335	78.2%	★★★★☆
2021	65.1	78 of 317	75.4%	★★★★☆
2019	39.7	167 of 317	47.3%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	18.8	581 of 672	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.5	512 of 639	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.2	524 of 644	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.7	509 of 626	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	25.1	479 of 611	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.8	529 of 639	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.5	503 of 585	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	20.9	550 of 685	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.8	520 of 668	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.9	527 of 668	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.0	548 of 664	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	22.5	505 of 653	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	22.9	527 of 675	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.4	512 of 619	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	14.7	183 of 211	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	11.5	168 of 182	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	18.4	136 of 163	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.8	136 of 170	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	7.0	155 of 160	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	16.5	143 of 165	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	26.7	376 of 527	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	35.2	256 of 482	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.2	210 of 476	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	54.0	128 of 493	74.0%	★★★★☆
2021	29.3	270 of 453	40.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.6	306 of 473	35.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	27.2	248 of 374	33.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	15.5	521 of 564	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	30.9	371 of 554	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	19.5	496 of 557	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	41.5	322 of 560	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	24.1	430 of 553	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.7	426 of 552	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.4	461 of 548	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2025)30th percentile+12 vs school

Special Education (2025)29th percentile+11 vs school

Male (2025)20th percentile~ school

Disabled (2025)19th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)18th percentile~ school

Female (2025)15th percentile-3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)14th percentile-4 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)13th percentile-5 vs school

White (2025)8th percentile-10 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)<1st percentile-18 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts22%-30 vs state

Science20%-29 vs state

Mathematics11%-28 vs state

★

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Schools Near MacArthur High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				PreACT Secure English Language Arts (2025)		PreACT Secure Mathematics (2025)		PreACT Secure Science (2025)		ACT English Language Arts (2025)	ACT Mathematics (2025)	ACT Science (2025)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% DTP (2024)	% Meningococcal (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PreACT Secure English Language Arts 9th Grade	PreACT Secure English Language Arts 10th Grade	PreACT Secure Mathematics 9th Grade	PreACT Secure Mathematics 10th Grade	PreACT Secure Science 9th Grade	PreACT Secure Science 10th Grade	ACT English Language Arts 11th Grade	ACT Mathematics 11th Grade	ACT Science 11th Grade	% Polio All Grades	% Measles All Grades	% Mumps All Grades	% Rubella All Grades	% Hepatitis B All Grades	% Varicella All Grades	% DTP All Grades	% Meningococcal All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
MacArthur High School	Public	9-12	1499 W Grand Ave	Decatur	62522	Macon County	Decatur School District 61	No	(n/a)	No	No	(217) 362-3152	1,059	53	19.9	73.0%	291 (27.5%)	536 (50.6%)	80 (7.6%)	6 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	144 (13.6%)	17.2	573^rd of 698 public high schools	17.9%		21.6	532^nd of 697 public high schools	23.7%	41	34.3	40.9	8.2	9.1	25.4	30.3	21.6	11.0	19.6	99.6	99.6	99.6	99.6	99.6	99.6	99.6	95.9	$15,193	$740	$14,453
Eisenhower High School	Public	9-12	1200 S 16th St	Decatur	62521	Macon County	Decatur School District 61	No	(n/a)	No	No	(217) 362-3100	909	53	17.1	76.7%	295 (32.5%)	433 (47.6%)	52 (5.7%)	5 (0.6%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	121 (13.3%)	16.2	578^th of 698 public high schools	17.2%		14.7	604^th of 697 public high schools	13.3%	26	36.9	32.8	9.7	11.8	36.7	19.5	16.5	8.7	19.3	99.7	99.7	99.7	99.7	99.8	99.6	99.8	94.1	$16,746	$848	$15,898
Futures Unlimited	Public	9-12	3900 N Neely Ave	Decatur	62526	Macon County	Macon/Piatt ROE	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(217) 362-3080	0	6	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Option Three	Public	6-12	3433 Rupp Pkwy	Decatur	62526	Macon County	Macon/Piatt ROE	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(217) 872-3721	0	2	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Heartland Technical Academy	Public	11-12	1 College Park	Decatur	62521	Macon County	Macon/Piatt ROE	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(217) 872-4050	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Warrensburg-Latham High School	Public	9-12	427 W North St	Warrensburg	62573	Macon County	Warrensburg-Latham CUSD 11	No	(n/a)	No	No	(217) 672-3531	336	19	17.7	38.7%	282 (83.9%)	12 (3.6%)	11 (3.3%)	9 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.5%)	51.1	333^rd of 698 public high schools	52.3%		52.3	286^th of 697 public high schools	59.0%	47	64.7	50.7	38.8	19.7	42.4	32.4	53.0	26.5	47.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	99.7	100.0	96.9	$10,697	$235	$10,463
Mt Zion High School	Public	9-12	305 S Henderson St	Mount Zion	62549	Macon County	Mt Zion CUSD 3	No	(n/a)	No	No	(217) 864-2363	762	44	17.3	21.8%	682 (89.5%)	13 (1.7%)	18 (2.4%)	17 (2.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	29 (3.8%)	75.7	137^th of 698 public high schools	80.4%		73.6	144^th of 697 public high schools	79.3%	7	70.5	59.6	42.1	43.1	55.9	45.2	63.0	52.0	63.0	99.7	99.6	99.6	99.6	99.7	99.6	99.7	98.3	$12,219	$436	$11,783
Sangamon Valley High School	Public	9-12	398 N Illinois St	Niantic	62551	Macon County	Sangamon Valley CUSD 9	No	(n/a)	No	No	(217) 668-2392	204	18	11.3	66.2%	183 (89.7%)	1 (0.5%)	8 (3.9%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.4%)	38.4	460^th of 698 public high schools	34.1%		58.4	235^th of 697 public high schools	66.3%	225	58.5	46.7	13.2	16.4	34.0	36.1	43.9	29.3	39.0	98.5	99.0	99.0	99.0	99.0	99.0	99.0	96.5	$14,546	$295	$14,251
Meridian High School	Public	9-12	728 S Wall St	Macon	62544	Macon County	Meridian CUSD 15	No	(n/a)	No	No	(217) 764-5233	287	23	12.3	43.6%	264 (92.0%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.8%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.8%)	57.2	269^th of 698 public high schools	61.5%		54.3	268^th of 697 public high schools	61.5%	1	71.9	47.0	29.7	34.8	59.4	39.1	47.7	32.3	40.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	99.7	$13,317	$64	$13,253
Argenta-Oreana High School	Public	9-12	500 N Main St	Argenta	62501	Macon County	Argenta-Oreana CUSD 1	No	(n/a)	No	No	(217) 795-4821	268	21	12.9	56.0%	215 (80.2%)	13 (4.9%)	10 (3.7%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	23 (8.6%)	50.1	344^th of 698 public high schools	50.7%		32.8	454^th of 697 public high schools	34.9%	110	65.0	62.5	25.0	22.2	50.0	51.4	36.8	23.5	32.4	99.3	99.3	99.3	99.3	99.3	99.3	99.3	98.6	$13,379	$272	$13,106

Frequently Asked Questions about MacArthur High School

Is MacArthur High School a good school?

MacArthur High School ranks in the bottom 17.9% of Illinois high schools.

What district is MacArthur High School in?

Decatur School District 61

What is the racial makeup of MacArthur High School?

Students at MacArthur High School are 51% African American, 27% White, 14% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic.

How many students attend MacArthur High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,059 students attended MacArthur High School.

What schools feed into MacArthur High School?

MacArthur High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Dennis Lab School
Elementary : Franklin Grove Elementary School
Elementary : Hope Academy
Elementary : Michael E Baum Elementary School
Elementary : Muffley Elementary School
Elementary : Parsons Elementary School
Elementary : South Shores Elementary School
Middle : Stephen Decatur Middle School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.