East Central Reporter

Villa Grove Community Unit School District 302, Arcola Community Unified School District 306 and Edgar County Community Unit School District 6 received the best financial ratings by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for their 2018 finances.

ISBE started profiling the financial health of the state's school districts in 2003, using experts to evaluate five areas: fund-balance-to-revenue ratio, expenditure-to-revenue ratio, days cash on hand, percentage of short-term borrowing ability remaining, and percentage of long-term borrowing ability remaining. The results are combined into a score, which corresponds with one of four designations.

Districts that score between 1 and 2.61 are on "financial watch"; between 2.62 and 3.07 - "financial warning"; between 3.08 and 3.53 - "financial review" and between 3.54 and 4.00 - "financial recognition".

Twelve Illinois school districts fell into the lowest financial strength category.

East Central Illinois school districts financial health