Alton High School

Alton High School is a high-enrollment secondary school in Alton, Illinois, operated by Alton CUSD 11. The school teaches 1,823 students in grades 9 through 12. By comparison, Illinois's public schools average about 834 students each, so Alton High School sits 119% bigger than that benchmark.

Across the 10 schools in Alton CUSD 11 (5,526 students total), Alton High School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On demographics, Alton High School shows that the largest single group is White at 54%, but no single group is in the majority. Other groups include 28% Black, 11% multiracial, 6% Hispanic. By comparison, Madison County as a whole is about 83% White, so the school skews considerably less White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, Alton High School reports 99 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 18.5:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.8:1, putting Alton High School higher than the state norm the norm. Around 43% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

With demographic context factored in, Alton High School is in the bottom 10% of Illinois public schools. The BeatsExpectations model predicts schools with this FRL share to land around 46.6%; Alton High School posts 32.6%, -14.1 points below that line.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Madison County put median household income runs about $75,793, 31% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Madison County runs 84 public schools (combined enrollment of about 35,253 students), of which Alton High School is one.

The closest other public school is Eunice Smith Elem School, roughly 1.9 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Alton High School. Among the 5 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Alton High School ranks 1st on composite proficiency, ahead of the local average of 28.4%.

The campus sits in a bedroom-community setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Alton High School has shrank 9%, going from 2,007 students in 2018 to 1,823 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 63% to 54% across the same window. Class-load math has rose: from 16.4:1 in 2018 to 18.5:1 in 2025.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.