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GCMS High School

Q: Is GCMS High School a good school?

GCMS High School ranks 209 th of 698 Illinois high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

209^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 698 Illinois High Schools

Better than 70% of Illinois high schools

Summary

GCMS High School in Gibson City, IL, is a small rural school serving 275 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5 district, and it stands out for achieving strong academic results despite serving a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (35.6% free/reduced lunch) than many nearby schools.

What makes GCMS truly unique is its exceptional performance with low-income students, ranking in the 99th and 95th percentiles statewide for this subgroup in recent years. This is a stark contrast to Mahomet-Seymour High School, a top-tier school just 19 miles away with higher overall test scores but a much lower poverty rate (22.95%). GCMS also achieves a high graduation rate of 92.5% while spending $19,097 per student—significantly less than smaller peers like Ridgeview High School ($25,233) and Fisher Junior/Senior High School ($20,944). However, the school faces growing competitive pressure from Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School, a similar-sized neighbor that has improved rapidly and now surpasses GCMS in 11th-grade ACT scores.

While GCMS excels in many areas, there are a few concerns for parents to note. Chronic absenteeism has risen steadily since the pandemic to 17.3%, now higher than the district average and approaching the rate at Mahomet-Seymour. Additionally, support for special education students has been inconsistent, swinging from a 1-star to a 4-star rating and back to a 2-star rating over the past three years. On a positive note, 10th graders show strong proficiency in ELA (67.8%) and math (42.4%), outperforming state averages by wide margins, though a notable "9th grade slump" in science suggests a potential curriculum gap that is successfully addressed by 10th grade.

275

Students ?

12.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,097

Per pupil spending ?

35.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

815 N Church St
Gibson City, IL 60936-1074

(217) 784-4292

District: Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5

Feeder schools for GCMS High School:

Elementary:	GCMS Elementary School
Middle:	GCMS Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.8%

Hispanic:

4.0%

Two or more races:

2.9%

See top rated Illinois high schools

Compare GCMS High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 98th percentile in 2015 → 70th in 2025

Strengths

✓92% graduate in 4 years — above the Illinois average (89%)

✓Above the Illinois median (70th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 28 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school49%

District avg49%

Illinois avg48%

209^th of 698

Illinois public high schools ?

Top 30%▼ down 28 pts since 2015

From top 2% (2015) to top 30% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Illinois High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

272^nd of 811Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5 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	65.1	209 of 698	70.1%	★★★★☆
2024	85.4	86 of 697	87.7%	★★★★☆
2023	69.1	171 of 699	75.5%	★★★★☆
2022	77.7	124 of 699	82.3%	★★★★☆
2021	75.0	138 of 688	79.9%	★★★★☆
2019	75.5	136 of 701	80.6%	★★★★☆
2018	70.1	173 of 647	73.3%	★★★★☆
2017	73.8	134 of 642	79.1%	★★★★☆
2016	69.0	118 of 643	81.6%	★★★★☆
2015	97.4	14 of 614	97.7%	★★★★★
2014	67.0	221 of 670	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	88.6	54 of 670	91.9%	★★★★★
2012	78.6	126 of 665	81.1%	★★★★☆
2011	90.4	39 of 655	94.0%	★★★★★
2010	77.0	130 of 643	79.8%	★★★★☆
2009	76.3	145 of 632	77.1%	★★★★☆
2008	87.2	57 of 624	90.9%	★★★★★
2007	83.7	75 of 612	87.7%	★★★★☆
2006	85.6	65 of 596	89.1%	★★★★☆
2005	76.8	114 of 590	80.7%	★★★★☆
2004	78.6	99 of 592	83.3%	★★★★☆
2003	68.4	174 of 586	70.3%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	24.2	420 of 491	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	62.8	231 of 685	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	81.4	106 of 664	84.0%	★★★★☆
2023	70.5	157 of 656	76.1%	★★★★☆
2022	85.3	78 of 658	88.1%	★★★★☆
2021	71.8	152 of 639	76.2%	★★★★☆
2019	71.3	162 of 665	75.6%	★★★★☆
2018	64.9	196 of 620	68.4%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	58.6	233 of 672	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	95.2	29 of 639	95.5%	★★★★★
2023	97.1	9 of 644	98.6%	★★★★★
2022	62.0	180 of 626	71.2%	★★★★☆
2021	82.1	74 of 611	87.9%	★★★★☆
2019	73.3	96 of 639	85.0%	★★★★☆
2018	36.1	393 of 585	32.8%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	64.4	202 of 685	70.5%	★★★★☆
2024	85.8	81 of 668	87.9%	★★★★☆
2023	65.5	185 of 668	72.3%	★★★★☆
2022	64.7	194 of 664	70.8%	★★★★☆
2021	73.6	134 of 653	79.5%	★★★★☆
2019	77.0	120 of 675	82.2%	★★★★☆
2018	71.6	138 of 619	77.7%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	31.6	318 of 527	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	66.2	112 of 482	76.8%	★★★★☆
2023	21.1	375 of 476	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	86.0	33 of 493	93.3%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Illinois percentile	Rating
2025	51.3	229 of 564	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	67.8	147 of 554	73.5%	★★★★☆
2023	57.5	207 of 557	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.4	161 of 560	71.3%	★★★★☆
2021	56.3	202 of 553	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	61.2	174 of 552	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.4	204 of 548	62.8%	★★★☆☆

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)

Male (2025)71st percentile~ school

Female (2025)66th percentile-4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)65th percentile-5 vs school

White (2025)59th percentile-11 vs school

Special Education (2025)40th percentile-30 vs school

Disabled (2025)14th percentile-56 vs school

By subject vs Illinois (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts54%~ state avg

Science44%-4 vs state

Mathematics39%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near GCMS High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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)	ISA Science (2025)	IAR English Language Arts (2025)			IAR Mathematics (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 (2025)	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	ISA Science 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 7th Grade	IAR English Language Arts 8th Grade	IAR English Language Arts All Grades	IAR Mathematics 7th Grade	IAR Mathematics 8th Grade	IAR Mathematics All Grades	% 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
GCMS High School	Public	9-12	815 N Church St	Gibson City	60936	Ford County	Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 784-4292	275	23	12.0	35.6%	247 (89.8%)	4 (1.5%)	11 (4.0%)	5 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.9%)	65.1	209^th of 698 public high schools	70.1%		85.4	86^th of 697 public high schools	87.7%	123	61.3	67.8	37.1	42.4	38.7	57.6	54.2	38.9	44.4								98.9	97.5	97.5	97.5	98.6	97.1	98.9	98.2	$19,097	$897	$18,200
Fisher Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	111 W Division St	Fisher	61843	Champaign County	Fisher CUSD 1	No	(n/a)	No	No	(217) 897-1225	284	22	12.6	28.5%	259 (91.2%)	5 (1.8%)	10 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.5%)	65.4	204^th of 698 public high schools	70.8%		81.1	109^th of 697 public high schools	84.4%	95	73.2	55.6	46.4	33.3	55.4	46.7	51.4	45.9	32.4	31.8	69.4	54.5	61.3	52.8	18.2	33.8	98.6	98.6	98.6	98.6	98.6	98.6	98.6	95.5	$20,944	$766	$20,179
Ridgeview High School	Public	9-12	202 E Wood St	Colfax	61728	McLean County	Ridgeview CUSD 19	No	(n/a)	No	No	(309) 723-2951	166	18	9.2		145 (87.3%)	1 (0.6%)	6 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (8.4%)	50.5	340^th of 698 public high schools	51.3%		42.7	376^th of 697 public high schools	46.1%	36	56.1	39.5	17.1	31.6	41.5	39.5	51.1	48.9	48.9								98.2	98.2	98.2	98.2	98.8	98.2	98.2	94.1	$25,233	$847	$24,386
Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School	Public	9-12	700 Panther Way	Paxton	60957	Ford County	Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10	No	(n/a)	No	No	(217) 379-4331	378	34	11.1	44.4%	324 (85.7%)	3 (0.8%)	33 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.8%)	73.3	152^nd of 698 public high schools	78.2%		84.5	94^th of 697 public high schools	86.5%	58	68.9	57.1	45.6	41.2	56.7	54.8	58.5	45.7	48.9								99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	94.8	$18,107	$1,241	$16,866
Panther Academy	Public, Virtual	9-12	430 S High St	Paxton	60957	Ford County	Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUD 10	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(217) 379-3314	0	1	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)																	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	83.3
Rantoul Township High School	Public	9-12	200 S Sheldon St	Rantoul	61866	Champaign County	Rantoul Township HSD 193	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 892-6160	901	64	14.0	90.5%	304 (33.7%)	211 (23.4%)	279 (31.0%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	102 (11.3%)	22.1	554^th of 698 public high schools	20.6%		18.8	560^th of 697 public high schools	19.7%	6	46.2	30.5	16.7	12.6	34.0	23.2	29.0	15.0	28.3								99.7	99.7	99.7	99.7	99.4	99.5	99.7	97.5	$16,620	$1,408	$15,212
Mahomet-Seymour High School	Public	9-12	302 W State St	Mahomet	61853	Champaign County	Mahomet-Seymour CUSD 3	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(217) 586-4962	1,050	64	16.5	23.0%	852 (81.1%)	19 (1.8%)	67 (6.4%)	41 (3.9%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (6.5%)	92.4	44^th of 698 public high schools	93.7%		96.2	35^th of 697 public high schools	95.0%	9	80.1	72.6	67.3	62.6	68.5	63.3	73.2	68.9	71.1								97.9	98.5	98.5	98.5	98.2	98.2	98.5	93.7	$14,027	$600	$13,426

Frequently Asked Questions about GCMS High School

What schools feed into GCMS High School?

GCMS High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : GCMS Elementary School
Middle : GCMS Middle School

What district is GCMS High School in?

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5

How many students attend GCMS High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 275 students attended GCMS High School.

What is the racial makeup of GCMS High School?

Students at GCMS High School are 90% White, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 1% African American.

Is GCMS High School a good school?

GCMS High School ranks 209^th of 698 Illinois high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate GCMS High School!

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Latest Illinois data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataOct 30, 2025

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesOct 30, 2025

2024–25 ACT, IAR, ISA & PreACT Secure test scoresOct 30, 2025

2023–24 school spending dataOct 30, 2024

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.