Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District

605 N 7th St
Fairbury, IL 61739-1300
(District boundaries shown in map)
6/
10
Top 50%
For the 2026 school year, there are 6 public schools serving 1,712 students in Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District. This district's average testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public schools in Illinois.
Public Schools in Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District have an average math proficiency score of 26% (versus the Illinois public school average of 27%), and reading proficiency score of 30% (versus the 30% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 16% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Illinois public school average of 55% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (IL)
# Schools
6 Schools
4,388 Schools
# Students
1,712 Students
1,842,763 Students
# Teachers
141 Teachers
137,917 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 861 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 82% has decreased from 85-89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (IL)
#394 out of 865 school districts
(Top 50%)
26%
27%
30%
30%
61%
50%
82%
87%
(2022-23)
20.3%
29.7%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.28
0.69
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
6%
% Hispanic
10%
29%
% Black
1%
16%
% White
84%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
4%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $20,591 in this school district is less than the state median of $22,456. The school district revenue/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $17,751 is less than the state median of $21,694. The school district spending/student has grown by 6% over four school years.
This School District
This State (IL)
Total Revenue
$35 MM
$41,381 MM
Spending
$30 MM
$39,976 MM
Revenue / Student
$20,591
$22,456
Spending / Student
$17,751
$21,694

Best Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District Public Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Prairie Central Primary West
(Math: 40-49% | Reading: 40-49% )
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
700 S Division St
Chenoa, IL 61726
(815) 945-2971
Gr: PK-1 | 244 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Rank: #22.
Prairie Central Upper Elementary School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
312 N Center St
Forrest, IL 61741
(815) 657-8238
Gr: 5-6 | 216 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 12%
Rank: #33.
Prairie Central Jr High School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
800 N Wood St
Forrest, IL 61741
(815) 657-8660
Gr: 7-8 | 250 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 17%
Rank: #44.
Prairie Central Elementary School
(Math: 26% | Reading: 25%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
600 S 1st St
Fairbury, IL 61739
(815) 692-2623
Gr: 2-4 | 367 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Rank: #55.
Prairie Central High School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
411 N 7th St
Fairbury, IL 61739
(815) 692-2355
Gr: 9-12 | 487 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 17%
Rank: #66.
Prairie Central Primary East
(Math: 20-29% | Reading: 20-29% )
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
407 S 4th St
Chatsworth, IL 60921
(815) 635-3555
Gr: PK-1 | 148 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 20%

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District?
Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District manages 6 public schools serving 1,712 students.
What is the rank of Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District?
Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District is ranked #400 out of 861 school districts in Illinois (top 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year.
What is the racial composition of students in Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District?
84% of Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District students are White, 10% of students are Hispanic, 4% of students are Two or more races, 1% of students are Asian, and 1% of students are Black.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District?
Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District has a student/teacher ratio of 12:1, which is lower than the Illinois state average of 14:1.
What is Prairie Central CUSD 8 School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $17,751 is less than the state median of $21,694. The school district spending/student has grown by 6% over four school years.

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 6 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 1,712 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 16%
  • : 82% (Top 50% in IL)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 26% (Top 50%)
  • : 30% (Top 50%)
  • : 61% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IL Dept. of Education

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