East Central Reporter

There were 4,813 white students enrolled in Coles County County schools in the 2021-22 school year, 1.9% more than the previous year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education report.

Data showed that white students made up 82.4% of the 5,841 students during the 2021-22 school year. They were the most represented ethnicity in the county schools.

Among the 13 schools in Coles County County, Mattoon High School recorded the highest enrollment of white students in 2021-22 school year, with a total of 808 students.

In 2022, Illinois had 1,925,415 students enrolled in a total of 3,977 schools. There were 130,467 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 15 students, compared to the national average of 1:16.

K-12 enrollment has been declining in Illinois for many years, reflecting demographic changes. Combined public and private K-12 enrollment dropped 3% between the 2019-20 and 2020–21 school years (60,900 students), far more than the typical 0.5% to 1.5% annual enrollment declines in Illinois over the last 5 years.

School name	% of White students enrolment	Total enrollment
Mattoon High School	85.3	947
Charleston High School	83.8	754
Mattoon Middle School	82	662
Arland D. Williams Junior Elementary School	76.9	666
Riddle Elementary School	81.6	614
Jefferson Elementary School	81.3	541
Carl Sandburg Elementary School	80.2	529
Charleston Middle School	82.9	386
Lake Crest Elementary School	98.4	187
Mark Twain Elementary School	72.5	229
Franklin Elementary School	81.8	170
Ashmore Elementary School	88.4	86
Oakland High School	97.1	70