East Central Reporter

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

Of the 2,127 students attending Clay County schools, 93% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 2.9% of Clay County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Clay County, representing 93.3% of the student body.

Flora Elementary School had the most diverse student body in Clay County, including 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
Clay City Elementary School	White	95.5%	112
Clay City High School	White	100%	74
Clay City Junior High School	White	98.6%	73
Flora Elementary School	White	91%	657
Flora High School	White	93.9%	361
Floyd Henson Junior High School	White	90.3%	308
North Clay Community High School	White	95.7%	162
North Clay Elementary/Junior High School	White	93.4%	380

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