Carruthers Elementary School

Carruthers Elementary School is one of the middle-of-the-pack primary schools in Murphysboro, Illinois, overseen by Murphysboro CUSD 186, with 426 students on its rolls from grades 3 through 5.

Across the 5 schools in Murphysboro CUSD 186 (1,877 students total), Carruthers Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, Carruthers Elementary School logs that White students make up the majority at 65%; the rest is composed of 15% Black, 12% Hispanic, 8% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 73% White, putting the school's mix considerably less White than the area baseline.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 29 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 14.7:1 students per teacher. That figure is higher than the state norm's 13.9:1 average. About 93% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. Set against Jackson County (around 73%), the school's rate is north of typical.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Carruthers Elementary School is in the OUTPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations model, which fits a per-state line through proficiency and FRL share. Schools with this campus's poverty mix typically land near 17.6%; this one delivers 32.1%, a residual of +14.5 points.

In the surrounding community, community-level numbers for Jackson County indicate median household income runs about $48,763, 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 11%. In all, Jackson County runs 32 public schools (combined enrollment of about 6,811 students), of which Carruthers Elementary School is one.

The closest other public school is Murphysboro High School, roughly 0.4 miles away. Within five miles, there are 4 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Carruthers Elementary School at 3rd of 6; the average score across the group is 28.6%.

The campus sits in a town-based setting.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Carruthers Elementary School has declined 7%, going from 460 students in 2018 to 426 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share edged up from 7% to 12%.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the feed for Carruthers Elementary School typically covers sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.