East Central Reporter

There were 291 Black students enrolled in Coles County County schools in the 2021-22 school year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education report.

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

Among the 13 schools in Coles County County, Arland D. Williams Junior Elementary School recorded the highest enrollment of Black students in 2021-22 school year, with a total of 59 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 Black students enrolment	Total enrollment
Arland D. Williams Junior Elementary School	8.9	666
Carl Sandburg Elementary School	7.4	529
Charleston High School	5.2	754
Mattoon High School	3.2	947
Jefferson Elementary School	5.4	541
Mattoon Middle School	4.4	662
Mark Twain Elementary School	11.8	229
Charleston Middle School	5.7	386
Riddle Elementary School	2.8	614
Lake Crest Elementary School	0	187
Franklin Elementary School	0	170
Oakland High School	0	70
Ashmore Elementary School	0	86