South West Illinois News

White students were the largest ethnic group in Randolph County in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Of the 3,816 students attending Randolph County schools, 85.1% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 4.6% of Randolph County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Randolph County, representing 85% of the student body.

Sparta High School and Sparta Lincoln School had the most diverse student body in Randolph County, including African American, Hispanic, multiracial, and white.

The Illinois State Board of Education’s budget for fiscal year 2026 will increase from nearly $10.8 billion to about $11.2 billion. This includes a $307 million boost for K–12 schools, marking the smallest annual increase since 2020.

The agency has paused about $50 million in funding previously allocated through the Evidence-Based Funding formula for the Property Tax Relief Grant while reviewing its impact on local tax relief. Officials say the pause could affect the timing and amount of property tax relief available to taxpayers.

School name	Most prevalent ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Chester Elementary School	White	81.2%	623
Chester High School	White	88.6%	317
Coulterville Elementary School	White	90.1%	81
Coulterville High School	White	91%	67
Coulterville Junior High School	White	90.2%	51
Evansville Attendance Center	White	97.3%	113
Prairie Du Rocher Elementary School	White	99.1%	117
Red Bud Elementary School	White	93.1%	605
Red Bud High School	White	95.1%	385
Sparta High School	White	76.6%	316
Sparta Lincoln School	White	69.3%	732
Steeleville Elementary School	White	92.3%	273
Steeleville High School	White	92.6%	136

Information in this story was obtained from the Illinois State Board of Education. The source data can be found here.