MacArthur High School

Summary:

MacArthur High School is a public high school in Decatur, Illinois, serving 1,105 students in grades 9-12. The school faces significant challenges, with consistently low academic performance, high dropout rates, and concerning levels of chronic absenteeism compared to nearby schools and the state average.

Academically, MacArthur High School ranks 557 out of 699 Illinois high schools, with only 4.8% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in SAT Mathematics and 13.6% proficient or better in SAT English Language Arts. The school's four-year graduation rate of 77.4% is lower than the state average and significantly behind nearby Cerro Gordo Junior and Senior High School (86.5%) and Maroa-Forsyth Senior High School (97.4%). Additionally, MacArthur High School has a high dropout rate of 5.1%, which is higher than the nearby schools.

Concerning trends continue with MacArthur High School's chronic absenteeism rate of 61.6%, significantly higher than the state average and the nearby Cerro Gordo Junior and Senior High School (26.5%) and Maroa-Forsyth Senior High School (18.8%). The school also serves a higher proportion of students from low-income families, with 66.97% receiving free or reduced-price lunch. While the school's racial composition is unique, with a much higher percentage of African American students (51.49%) compared to the state average and surrounding schools, the school has shown some promising results in supporting certain student subgroups, such as Hispanic students.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 300 E Eldorado St
       Decatur, IL  62523-1037


(217) 362-3152

District: Decatur School District 61

SchoolDigger Rank:
557th of 699 Illinois High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,476 Help


Feeder schools for MacArthur High School:

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

Student/teacher ratio:  19.7 Help
Number of students:  1,105

Racial breakdown:

African American:
51.5%
White:
29.6%
Two or more races:
12.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  67% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details MacArthur High School ranks worse than 79.7% of high schools in Illinois. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.48. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of MacArthur High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at MacArthur High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (51.5%), White (29.6%), two or more races (12.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 67% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at MacArthur High School is 19.7. (See more...)
Help
Compare MacArthur High School employs 56 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at MacArthur High School is $14,476.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

MacArthur High School:

SchoolDigger ranks MacArthur High School 557th of 699 Illinois public high schools. (See MacArthur High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Decatur School District 61:

SchoolDigger ranks Decatur School District 61 816th of 823 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for MacArthur High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at MacArthur High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 42.63 402nd 586 31.4%
2004 38.87 427th 592 27.9%
2005 33.24 465th 590 21.2%
2006 24.73 484th 596 18.8%
2007 36.17 442nd 612 27.8%
2008 26.74 500th 624 19.9%
2009 39.71 435th 632 31.2%
2010 47.82 402nd 643 37.5%
2011 37.46 458th 655 30.1%
2012 24.78 530th 665 20.3%
2013 15.51 557th 670 16.9%
2014 22.42 536th 670 20.0%
2015 16.82 535th 614 12.9%
2016 13.85 586th 643 8.9%
2017 19.24 532nd 642 17.1%
2018 20.46 529th 647 18.2%
2019 23.36 544th 701 22.4%
2021 21.54 541st 688 21.4%
2022 26.84 517th 699 26.0%
2023 21.48 557th 699 20.3%
See the entire list of Illinois High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at MacArthur High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 16.50 143rd 165 13.3%
2021 7.04 155th 160 3.1%
2022 18.84 136th 170 20.0%
2023 18.38 136th 163 16.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at MacArthur High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.23 248th 374 33.7%
2019 29.55 306th 473 35.3%
2021 29.28 270th 453 40.4%
2022 54.05 128th 493 74.0%
2023 42.18 210th 476 55.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at MacArthur High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.54 503rd 585 14.0%
2019 20.78 529th 639 17.2%
2021 25.12 479th 611 21.6%
2022 22.75 509th 626 18.7%
2023 22.21 524th 644 18.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at MacArthur High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.40 503rd 620 18.9%
2019 23.71 509th 665 23.5%
2021 20.00 507th 639 20.7%
2022 34.23 436th 658 33.7%
2023 20.25 530th 656 19.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at MacArthur High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 31.76 263rd 428 38.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at MacArthur High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.41 512th 619 17.3%
2019 22.87 527th 675 21.9%
2021 22.50 505th 653 22.7%
2022 18.96 548th 664 17.5%
2023 22.94 527th 668 21.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at MacArthur High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.66 167th 253 34.0%
2019 28.02 213th 299 28.8%
2021 30.01 194th 281 31.0%
2022 31.01 191st 294 35.0%
2023 32.05 190th 301 36.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at MacArthur High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 39.73 167th 317 47.3%
2021 65.08 78th 317 75.4%
2022 68.58 73rd 335 78.2%
2023 13.45 312th 333 6.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at MacArthur High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.39 461st 548 15.9%
2019 25.72 426th 552 22.8%
2021 24.08 430th 553 22.2%
2022 41.53 322nd 560 42.5%
2023 19.53 496th 557 11.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

MacArthur High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for MacArthur High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 904 472 6 5 4 n/a n/a 0 1391
1989 872 474 8 7 2 n/a n/a 0 1363
1990 855 434 6 8 2 n/a n/a 0 1305
1991 837 424 8 7 0 n/a n/a 0 1276
1992 860 436 11 8 0 n/a n/a 0 1315
1993 821 440 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 1266
1994 789 419 1 4 2 n/a n/a 0 1215
1995 779 413 2 2 2 n/a n/a 0 1198
1996 779 413 2 2 2 n/a n/a 0 1198
1997 760 430 2 5 3 n/a n/a 0 1200
1998 734 399 3 9 1 n/a n/a 0 1146
1999 702 404 4 9 2 n/a n/a 0 1121
2000 665 389 6 8 1 n/a n/a 0 1069
2001 873 430 10 13 4 n/a n/a 0 1330
2002 765 480 14 15 2 n/a n/a 0 1276
2003 765 480 14 15 2 n/a n/a 0 1276
2004 756 538 17 24 1 n/a n/a 0 1336
2005 709 548 13 24 0 n/a n/a 18 1312
2006 667 597 15 25 1 n/a n/a 22 1327
2007 638 588 12 20 2 n/a n/a 32 1292
2008 646 546 9 17 3 n/a n/a 40 1261
2009 542 518 15 19 2 n/a n/a 51 1147
2010 568 551 15 20 2 n/a n/a 65 1221
2011 530 541 14 25 3 1 83 0 1197
2012 505 547 9 30 4 0 84 0 1179
2013 485 542 14 31 1 0 93 0 1166
2014 432 499 9 33 2 1 109 0 1085
2015 401 511 15 41 3 1 101 0 1073
2016 409 518 12 34 3 1 108 0 1085
2017 415 535 12 46 2 1 102 0 1113
2018 404 524 12 50 3 1 99 0 1093
2019 416 520 8 62 3 1 109 0 1119
2020 407 595 15 60 3 3 8 0 1091
2021 402 547 8 68 2 0 149 0 1176
2022 381 573 6 65 0 1 158 0 1184
2023 327 569 4 62 1 0 142 0 1105

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at MacArthur High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1391 60.9 22.8 n/a
1989 1363 56.3 24.2 n/a
1990 1305 55.8 23.3 n/a
1991 1276 54.8 23.2 n/a
1992 1315 54.4 24.1 n/a
1993 1266 51.4 24.6 n/a
1994 1215 53.0 22.9 n/a
1995 1198 52.0 23.0 n/a
1996 1198 52.0 23.0 n/a
1997 1200 52.8 22.7 n/a
1998 1146 51.4 22.3 n/a
1999 1121 49.2 22.8 n/a
2000 1069 48.8 21.9 n/a
2001 1330 67.7 19.6 n/a
2002 1276 47.1 27.1 39.4
2003 1276 47.1 27.1 39.4
2004 1336 54.7 24.4 38
2005 1312 53.5 24.5 43.5
2006 1327 52.4 25.3 46.5
2007 1292 60.0 21.5 n/a
2008 1261 49.0 25.7 64.1
2009 1147 60.4 19.0 n/a
2010 1221 56.7 21.5 n/a
2011 1197 54.7 21.8 62.8
2012 1179 49.9 23.6 49.4
2013 1166 105.8 11.0 64.8
2014 1085 48.0 22.5 67.8
2015 1073 61.0 17.5 69.1
2016 1085 53.0 20.4 71.4
2017 1113 58.8 18.9 48.8
2018 1093 65.0 16.8 54.9
2019 1119 49.8 22.4 59
2020 1091 56.0 19.4 66.3
2021 1176 n/a n/a n/a
2022 1184 66.0 17.9 64.4
2023 1105 56.0 19.7 67

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio MacArthur High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1391 60.9 22.8 n/a
1989 1363 56.3 24.2 n/a
1990 1305 55.8 23.3 n/a
1991 1276 54.8 23.2 n/a
1992 1315 54.4 24.1 n/a
1993 1266 51.4 24.6 n/a
1994 1215 53.0 22.9 n/a
1995 1198 52.0 23.0 n/a
1996 1198 52.0 23.0 n/a
1997 1200 52.8 22.7 n/a
1998 1146 51.4 22.3 n/a
1999 1121 49.2 22.8 n/a
2000 1069 48.8 21.9 n/a
2001 1330 67.7 19.6 n/a
2002 1276 47.1 27.1 39.4
2003 1276 47.1 27.1 39.4
2004 1336 54.7 24.4 38
2005 1312 53.5 24.5 43.5
2006 1327 52.4 25.3 46.5
2007 1292 60.0 21.5 n/a
2008 1261 49.0 25.7 64.1
2009 1147 60.4 19.0 n/a
2010 1221 56.7 21.5 n/a
2011 1197 54.7 21.8 62.8
2012 1179 49.9 23.6 49.4
2013 1166 105.8 11.0 64.8
2014 1085 48.0 22.5 67.8
2015 1073 61.0 17.5 69.1
2016 1085 53.0 20.4 71.4
2017 1113 58.8 18.9 48.8
2018 1093 65.0 16.8 54.9
2019 1119 49.8 22.4 59
2020 1091 56.0 19.4 66.3
2021 1176 n/a n/a n/a
2022 1184 66.0 17.9 64.4
2023 1105 56.0 19.7 67

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Immunization Rates

MacArthur High School

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YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMeningococcal
201599.7%99.5%99.5%99.5%99.7%98.8%99.8%
201699.8%99.9%99.9%99.9%99.9%99.7%19.3%
201799.3%99.3%99.3%99.3%99.6%98.9%99.5%15.8%
201899.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.9%99.4%99.8%15.9%
2019100.0%99.9%99.9%99.9%100.0%99.9%100.0%50.6%
202199.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%88.5%
202298.5%98.4%98.4%98.4%98.5%98.5%98.5%91.6%
202399.2%99.4%99.4%99.4%99.3%99.4%99.3%95.5%
202499.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%99.6%95.9%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for MacArthur High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $614 (5.2%) $11,095 (94.8%) $11,709
2020 $199 (1.7%) $11,254 (98.3%) $11,453
2021 $1,131 (8.8%) $11,671 (91.2%) $12,802
2022 $1,131 (8.8%) $11,671 (91.2%) $12,802
2023 $1,107 (7.6%) $13,369 (92.4%) $14,476

Data source: Illinois Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on MacArthur High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 544th of 701 High schoolsRanks 557th of 699 High schools
 2.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Mathematics (MacArthur High School)13.14.8
 8.3%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Decatur School District 61)11.14.6
 6.5%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)34.826.7
 8.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (MacArthur High School)1413.6
 0.4%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur School District 61)13.112
 1.1%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.731.6
 5.1%
End of Course Science (MacArthur High School)18.727.4
 8.7%
   End of Course Science (Decatur School District 61)17.428.9
 11.5%
   End of Course Science (Illinois)36.452.2
 15.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11191105
 1.3%
African American520569
 9.4%
American Indian31
 66.7%
Asian84
 50%
Hispanic6262
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White416327
 21.4%
Two or More Races109142
 30.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients59%67%
 8%


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Frequently Asked Questions about MacArthur High School

MacArthur High School ranks in the bottom 20.3% of Illinois high schools.

Students at MacArthur High School are 51% African American, 30% White, 13% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,105 students attended MacArthur High 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.





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