Charleston Community Unit School District 1

410 W Polk Ave
Charleston, IL 61920-2557
(District boundaries shown in map)
3/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Charleston Community Unit School District 1 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Illinois for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 3 public elementary schools serving 1,272 students in Charleston Community Unit School District 1. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Illinois.
Public Elementary Schools in Charleston Community Unit School District 1 have an average math proficiency score of 16% (versus the Illinois public elementary school average of 27%), and reading proficiency score of 18% (versus the 30% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 22% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the Illinois public elementary school average of 56% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (IL)
# Schools
6 Schools
3,103 Schools
# Students
2,652 Students
1,223,907 Students
# Teachers
176 Teachers
89,930 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Charleston Community Unit School District 1, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 864 school districts in Illinois (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 67% has decreased from 85-89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (IL)
#675 out of 865 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
14%
27%
21%
30%
55%
50%
67%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.36
0.71
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
6%
% Hispanic
6%
27%
% Black
7%
17%
% White
79%
44%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,558 in this school district is less than the state median of $21,990. The school district revenue/student has grown by 9% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,663 is less than the state median of $21,244. The school district spending/student has grown by 14% over four school years.
This School District
This State (IL)
Total Revenue
$41 MM
$41,381 MM
Spending
$39 MM
$39,976 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,558
$21,990
Spending / Student
$14,663
$21,244

Best Charleston Community Unit School District 1 Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Carl Sandburg Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1924 Reynolds Dr
Charleston, IL 61920
(217) 639-4000
Gr: K-3 | 537 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: #22.
Ashmore Elementary School
(Math: 11-19% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
313 S Ohio St
Ashmore, IL 61912
(217) 349-3000
Gr: K-4 | 72 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #33.
Jefferson Elementary School
(Math: 13% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
801 Jefferson Ave
Charleston, IL 61920
(217) 639-7000
Gr: 4-6 | 663 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 20%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 6 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 2,652 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 21%
  • : 67% (Btm 50% in IL)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 14% (Btm 50%)
  • : 21% (Btm 50%)
  • : 55% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IL Dept. of Education

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