East Central Reporter

White students were the largest ethnic group in Effingham County in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Of the 4,824 students attending Effingham County schools, 92% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 3.1% of Effingham County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Effingham County, representing 92.6% of the student body.

Effingham High School had the most diverse student body in Effingham County, including Asian, African American, Hispanic, multiracial, and white.

The Illinois State Board of Education’s budget for fiscal year 2026 will increase from nearly $10.8 billion to about $11.2 billion. This includes a $307 million boost for K–12 schools, marking the smallest annual increase since 2020.

The agency has paused about $50 million in funding previously allocated through the Evidence-Based Funding formula for the Property Tax Relief Grant while reviewing its impact on local tax relief. Officials say the pause could affect the timing and amount of property tax relief available to taxpayers.

School name	Most prevalent ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Altamont Grade School	White	94.5%	469
Altamont High School	White	92.3%	208
Beecher City Grade School	White	96%	199
Beecher City Junior/Senior High School	White	92%	163
Central Grade School	White	86.9%	497
Dieterich Elementary School	White	98.2%	342
Dieterich Junior/Senior High School	White	96.1%	259
Early Learning Center	White	87.9%	141
Effingham High School	White	87.3%	686
Effingham Junior High School	White	84.8%	473
South Side Grade School	White	85.8%	275
Teutopolis Grade School	White	97.2%	601
Teutopolis High School	White	97.6%	337
Teutopolis Junior High School	White	98.3%	174

Information in this story was obtained from the Illinois State Board of Education. The source data can be found here.