Total enrollment
3,876
-190 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
Randolph County
Illinois · Public K-12
Randolph County in Illinois is home to 16 public K-12 schools, serving roughly 3,876 students between them, broken out as 8 elementary, 1 middle, and 7 high. Sparta Cusd 140 is the largest district by enrollment.
7-year change in Randolph County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
13
-1 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
84%
was 88%
% Hispanic
6%
was 3%
% Black
5%
was 5%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
16
8 districts
Enrollment
3,876
NCES CCD
Median income
$68,131
Below Illinois avg
Free/reduced lunch
51.2%
Above Illinois avg
Elementary
8
2,580 students
Middle
1
44 students
High
7
1,252 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Sparta CUSD 140
1,153 students · 8 districts in Randolph County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Randolph County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
15.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.0%
civilian labor
Median age
44
20.2% under 18
Test scores in Randolph County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 7 schools ranked. Illinois state average: 51.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Prairie Du Rocher Elem School· 69.6%
- Red Bud Elem School· 61.5%
- Sparta Lincoln School· 46.8%
- Chester Elem School· 45.0%
- Steeleville Elem School· 39.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Coulterville Elementary School· 31.7%
- Evansville Attendance Center· 35.4%
- Steeleville Elem School· 39.4%
- Chester Elem School· 45.0%
- Sparta Lincoln School· 46.8%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparta Lincoln School | Sparta | Elementary | PK-08 | 735 | · |
| Chester Elem School | Chester | Elementary | PK-08 | 640 | · |
| Red Bud Elem School | Red Bud | Elementary | PK-08 | 582 | · |
| Red Bud High School | Red Bud | High | 09-12 | 396 | · |
| Chester High School | Chester | High | 09-12 | 335 | · |
| Steeleville Elem School | Steeleville | Elementary | PK-08 | 323 | · |
| Sparta High School | Sparta | High | 09-12 | 309 | · |
| Steeleville High School | Steeleville | High | 09-12 | 148 | · |
| Prairie Du Rocher Elem School | Prairie Du Rocher | Elementary | PK-08 | 114 | · |
| Evansville Attendance Center | Evansville | Elementary | KG-08 | 109 | · |
| Coulterville Elementary School | Coulterville | Elementary | PK-05 | 77 | · |
| Coulterville High School | Coulterville | High | 09-12 | 64 | · |
| Coulterville Junior High School | Coulterville | Middle | 06-08 | 44 | · |
| Monroe/Randolph Red Brick Sch | Red Bud | High | 06-12 | 0 | · |
| Okaw Regional Voc System | Chester | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| Perandoe Educational Program | Red Bud | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Randolph County
About Randolph County
Randolph County is a compact Illinois county of about 30,058 residents, home to 16 public schools and roughly 3,876 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $68,131, roughly 15% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 10%.
For a sense of the school types, Randolph County comprises 8 elementary schools (2,580 students), 1 middle school (44), and 7 high schools (1,252).
Sparta CUSD 140 is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 1,153 students across Randolph County.
Looking at the last 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment fell 5%: 4,066 students in SY 2017-18 versus 3,876 in SY 2024-25. Randolph County now counts 13 public schools, down from 14 in SY 2017-18. Demographically, the White share of enrollment decreased from 88% to 84%.
On this page, the community for Randolph County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Randolph County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data